The Hyrule Fantasy: The Elements of the Ages
by Black Seraph
Summary: A boy is charged with the task of gathering the Shards of the Master Sword to defeat an ancient evil
1. Prologue: Prelude to Darkness

Disclaimer: All elements pertaining to The Legend of Zelda are property of Nintendo and all elements pertaining to Chrono Trigger are property of SquareSoft.  
  
Author's Note: I just defeated Chrono Trigger for, like, the millionth time and I came up with this cool idea. Please R&R.  
  
PROLOGUE  
  
In the land of Hyrule, many tales revolve around the origin of the Master Sword. Some say a Hylian blacksmith forged it during the Imprisoning War, others say the three Goddesses created it, but the true history is neither.  
  
After the creation by the Holy Three, there was chaos. Naraku, the Elemental of Plague, also called the Angel of Death, reigned supreme, she killed all who opposed her, men women, and even children, none escaped her wrath. It was upon seeing this that the Great Elemental Sisters; Netsui, elemental of fire, Mizuoyo, elemental of water, Kunesu, elemental of wind, and Tsuchi, elemental of earth, selected a warrior, a knight of Hyrule, to carry their wrath to their tainted sister. They combined their powers to the purest to create the ultimate evil-destroying weapon: The Master Sword. After an extraordinary battle, the knight subdued Naraku, and the four sisters sealed her inside a temporal gap between dimensions, using the Master Sword as the key and a temple to guard the entrance. After that, Ashla, Goddess of Time prophesized of a great evil, and the boy who would wield the legendary weapon against it.  
  
* * *  
  
Atop the mighty citadel, Ganondorf, king of darkness had been slain by a young boy. Ganondorf's body slammed hard against the floor. Link dropped to his knees, the Master Sword clattering to the ruined floor. He looked upon the Princess as the crystalline prison cracked, then shattered, falling around the Princess's feet. Link dropped his head; fatigue had finally found its mark on the hero.  
  
Zelda approached, she set her fingers on Link's chin and lifted his gaze to match hers. Her eyes were compassionate; Link found much comfort in staring into those beautiful blue orbs.  
  
"Rise, Hero of Time," Zelda spoke, her voice soft. Link stood, his feet uneasy underneath his weight. Zelda took the boy into a warm embrace, holding him against her bosom. Link wrapped her with is arms, laying his chin on her shoulder.  
  
Link suddenly spun and pushed Zelda back; she stumbled and fell on her back. She sat up and began to speak, but stopped. Link had his mouth agape, as if to speak, but no sound came. His eyes showed pain. Zelda let her eyes fall on his body and stopped when she saw the blade tip protruding from his chest. She let her eyes travel past him, and gasped when she saw the callused hand clutching the hilt, the red eyes smiling in triumph.  
  
Ganondorf lifted Link, still impaled, off the ground and the threw him aside, his body sliding off the sword with a sickening gush, then bouncing once, twice, then landing, sprawled out like a rag doll, his icy blue eyes staring at the sky.  
  
Zelda chanced a glance to the ground and saw the Master Sword's blade glistening with Ganondorf's blood, where Link had dropped it. She threw her hand down onto the hilt and as she jerked up, Ganondorf's foot slammed down on the blade shattering it, Zelda pulled up the hilt and pulled the three inches of what remained of the blade.  
  
Ganondorf reached down with his hand and at that instant, Zelda knew she had to do something. She jerked the broken blade across, sliding gracefully through Ganondorf's wrist, separating it. Ganondorf pulled his bloody stump back and howled in pain. He thrust his sword forward and Zelda knew, he won.  
  
Zelda's lifeless corpse, collapsed, a small book slid out of her dress. Ganondorf's had had already began to regenerate, a property bestowed by the Triforce of Power. He lifted the book and opened it. After a few moments of reading, he lifted his eyes to the broken sword and smiled.  
  
Ganondorf tucked the book away and began to pick up the sword and the pieces.  
  
"Turn around, you monster," Ganondorf turned and met Rauru, the Sage of Light. Ganondorf smiled, but it faded when, one by one, the other Seven Wise Ones appeared. He was surrounded.  
  
"Ganondorf, by our will, we bind thee to the Dark Realm that was product of the tainted touch to the Triforce." Rauru's voice was still strong after centuries.  
  
"So now, you go to Hell!" Ruto spoke. Then, the sages lifted their hands to the air and created a whirling vertex that appeared over Ganondorf. The gravity of the vertex sucked Ganondorf in.  
  
"No!" he screamed as his body vanished, the book and the sword falling from his grasp. He disappeared into the vertex, his voice still echoing in the air even after the vertex closed. Rauru looked at Link and Zelda's lifeless forms. His eyes dropped in sorrow and Princess Ruto and Saria's cries now drowned out all other sounds as they held each other tightly. Impa knelt next to Zelda's body and took it up into her arms, a single tear rolled down the Sheikah warrior's cheek, Nabooru and Darunia stood, no sound could be heard from them, but their eyes foretold of the sorrow.  
  
Rauru retrieved the book from where it fell and looked at it. He opened it and read the first few paragraphs, then turned and signaled to Darunia, who waddled over to the ancient sage.  
  
"What is it?" the fire sage asked.  
  
"We must hide these," Rauru signaled to the shards of the Master Sword. "It's of the utmost importance." 


	2. Chapter One: A Broken Sword

CHAPTER ONE Revelations  
  
The kendo sticks snapped against each other, with a flick of Jacob's arm, he sent the weapon swinging speedily towards his opponent's head. William, Jacob's opponent, in more than just competition, brought the rough bamboo to bear against Jacob's. He caught Jacob's stick with his own and pushed it away. Both opponents spun away to recover. Jacob twisted the stick in the air and rushed William, who counteracted by twirling away and bringing his weapon to crash against Jacob's legs. Jacob jumped over the other's weapon and in his return to the ground, he brought his weapon over and down in William's neck, connecting with a loud crack in the flesh. William fell forward from the impact and landed on his knees. He lowered his head in defeat. He had been beaten. Jacob stood over him, his weapon lowered to his side.  
  
Jacob ran his hand through his short blonde hair and looked to William with his pale blue eyes that smiled victory. Jacob offered his hand out to help his rival up to his feet.  
  
"Good fight." Jacob complimented.  
  
William ignored Jacob's arm and lifted himself to his feet. He glared at Jacob's compliment then walked away, stroking his red neck. Jacob ignored William and raised his hand in victory. The crowd cheered. Jacob lowered his arm and watched as the referee made his way over to Jacob and handed to him the medal for winning.  
  
Jacob accepted the medal and slid it around his neck. He bowed to the referee and his Master, then turned and walked off in the direction of the showers, the crowd still cheering.  
  
As Jacob rounded the corner, he came face to face with William, whose neck still glowed like a cherry from the impact earlier.  
  
"You think you're funny, don't you?" William intrigued.  
  
"Well, I do try." Jacob retorted, He fought a grin as William fought to remain calm as anger swelled up underneath; sweat still dripping from his long red hair.  
  
"You'll regret this." William pointed threateningly to Jacob's chest. He then turned and walked away.  
  
"We'll see, Willie!" Jacob called to his retreating back. "Asshole." Jacob mumbled.  
  
Jacob turned back to see a tall, dark figure and a slender female coming to him. Derek and Sarah, his two best friends. Derek was a dark skinned boy, tall with brown eyes and black hair cropped close to his head. Sarah was shorter than Jacob and had shoulder length hair; it was black with forest green highlights. Her emerald eyes smiled at Jacob.  
  
"They're eatin' it up." Derek said.  
  
"Oh, I know." Jacob replied, he then turned to Sarah and winked at her. Sarah rolled her eyes in a way Jacob knew meant, "Go on, you nut."  
  
"We gonna check out that new shop on the way home?" Sarah said to Jacob.  
  
"Um, yeah, just let me change." Jacob motioned to his dirty uniform.  
  
"Yeah, we'll meet you in the car." Derek said. Jacob nodded and as he began to walk away, Sarah grabbed his tunic and put her lips close to his ear.  
  
"Good job," she whispered. Sarah then turned and ran in attempt to catch up with Derek and disappeared around the corner. Jacob smiled and went to the shower.  
  
* * *  
  
After his shower, Jacob felt ever so much better. He dressed in a tight white tank top, a dress shirt open at the neck over it and a pair of loose cargo khakis. He grabbed his bag and walked out. He looked around, noticing how the auditorium has changed over the years of being here. He was a senior at Ikana County High School, the name was taken from some old kingdom that existing over a million years or so ago, he was not too familiar with the history of the school.  
  
Jacob just looked at all the cracks and scratches on the walls and tried to imagine what caused each one. But as he neared the door, he gave up and walked across the threshold. He looked through the parking lot until he spotted his car, an old, run down station wagon, but as long as it got him from point a to point b without any problems, he was happy. Derek and Sarah did not seem to mind either.  
  
As he neared the car, he noticed that his friend were lying side by side on the hood of the car, watching him.  
  
"What took you?" Derek asked.  
  
"Yeah, we thought you got swallowed by the dragon of the showers." Sarah joked.  
  
"You know me, I have to take my sweet time. But if you don't like it, walk home." Jacob retorted to the pair.  
  
Jacob unlocked the doors on the station wagon and then walked around to the driver's side and unlocked it. He threw his bag in the back and settled in. Derek and Sarah got in and sat down, Sarah sat in the middle, the gearshift between her legs.  
  
"Um, Sarah." Jacob started.  
  
"Don't even." She finished.  
  
Derek smiled and looked out the window. Jacob cranked the car and reluctantly grabbed the gearshift and threw it into gear.  
  
The car jumped a few times, and then was off.  
  
"I don't see why you won't sit in the back." Jacob said to Sarah, who was playing with her oddly colored hair. Derek didn't give her time to answer, he did it for her.  
  
"She doesn't want to feel left out." He said, Sarah nodded her agreement.  
  
* * *  
  
The station wagon pulled to a stop in front of a dark building, only a sign showed in the window that read: Legends of the Sword.  
  
"Well, here we are. Everybody out." Jacob said.  
  
All the passengers piled out of the car and walked to the entrance. Jacob pulled open the door and as he did so, he was greeted by a musky smell, a smell that reminded him of his grandmother's attic. Sarah crinkled her nose at the smell. "Ew. Old people smell." The two guys chuckled at her and proceeded inside.  
  
As the entered the store, all sorts of exotic weaponry welcomed their sight. On one wall, Jacob saw an odd looking sword, it was a handle, with two scimitar blades, each protruding from a different end of the handle. Derek saw a sword hanging on the wall that had some sort of writing on it, and he could have sworn it was glowing a soft blue color.  
  
As they neared the back, a voice called from within the dark recesses of the back room. Sarah squealed from fright.  
  
"Welcome, my children." Spoke the old voice.  
  
"Uh, hello." Jacob said as he watched the feeble old man waddle from the back. Derek leaned over to Jacob and whispered, "Sarah and I are gonna have a look around."  
  
Jacob nodded and turned to the old man.  
  
"What can I do for you?" the ancient one asked.  
  
"Oh, I'm just looking, what kind of weapon is that?" Jacob nodded to the strange double scimitar.  
  
"That's called a swallow." The Old Man answered. Jacob was about to ask where it was from when something strange seemed to claim his attention high above the old man's head on a shelf.  
  
"What's that?" he asked upon seeing it.  
  
"I haven't figured it out, I think it used to be a short sword."  
  
"May I see it?"  
  
"Sure." The old man climbed up a nearby ladder and retrieved the remains. "I've had this thing forever, no one ever seemed to want it." He set it before Jacob who picked it up and studied it. It was a broken sword, it had a strange symbol etched into the blade, it appeared to be three triangles, stacked in a way to form one big triangle. It had a jewel mounted in the hilt, a yellow, possibly topaz, rounded jewel. Jacob viewed it closer and thought he saw a small scene of a boy fighting some kind of. sorcerer? Whatever, he probably just imagined it.  
  
"I'll take it. How much?" Jacob said.  
  
"Twenty-five." The old man stated, "Considering it is broke, but, are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah." He got out his wallet and handed the man the money.  
  
"Oh yeah, it also had this stuff with it when I cam across it. So I'll give it to you to, you may find a use for it." The old man reached underneath the counter and came up with a medium leather bag. He handed to the boy and nodded. "You have a nice night, oh and tell your friends not to be goofing off in here."  
  
Jacob turned, items in hand to see Derek and Sarah toying around with some katanas, trying to duel each other.  
  
"Guys, cut it out, let's go." Jacob left the store, Derek and Sarah followed, they got back into the car and Sarah was back in her normal spot, the gearshift dangerously close to her "no fly zone" Jacob only rolled his eyes and thought nothing of it.  
  
* * *  
  
After taking Derek and Sarah home, Jacob went back to his house. After helping his mother put away the dishes after dinner and showing his parents the sword he got, whose response was, "why is it broken?" he went to his room and sat before his computer. He was online, until a thought drifted to his mind, the leather bag.  
  
He snuck down stairs and outside to his car to retrieve it. After he got it, he snuck back to his room, stopping once because he heard his father mumble something incoherent. He opened the bag to peer inside, instead of finding the missing pieces to the sword blade, to his disappointment; he found a book, and an egg-shaped flute. He set the flute aside, disregarding it; maybe he can give to Sarah. She likes instruments. He lifted the book, on the cover was written in golden script: "The Memoirs of a Princess." Under the title was the same symbol as on the broken sword. He disregarded this as well, probably coincidence.  
  
He opened the book and the first words read: "My nightmare has come true, all hope is lost. My hero is nowhere to be found and I must go into hiding." Jacob read through the first paragraph, which told about this apparent princess going into hiding from some sorcerer who was in possession of some relic called the Triforce.  
  
"Sounds like a cheap Star Wars rip off." Jacob mused to himself. "The Triforce."  
  
Jacob laid the book on his nightstand; he'll read some more tomorrow after school, now he needed to go to bed. He flipped his light off and laid down, sleep drifted to him as his eyes closed for the last time that night. 


	3. Chapter Two: What Dreams May Come

CHAPTER TWO What Dreams May Come  
  
"Welcome Gatekeeper," a sweet voice intruded upon Jacob's thoughts. Jacob wondered through the busy street of New York. Jacob turned around to find the person who spoke to him, but saw no one, well, no one that seemed to be beckoning to him, well except the thin blonde on the street corner, but that was just, wrong.  
  
"Come with me," the voice seemed to be in his thoughts, whispering to him. As Jacob turned around, his city surroundings dissolved into a beautiful green field filled with lush foliage. All the people around him changed and morphed into various animals of the plains. Jacob raised an eyebrow and watched as the people vanished and was replaced by different beings.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Jacob intrigued aloud.  
  
"Come forward, young one," the sweet voice was louder now. Jacob stepped forward and as he did so, the wind picked up and blew the grass in ripples. Ass he neared the center of the plain, he could see a figure standing there, the wind rustling through the figure's long graceful hair.  
  
Upon closer inspection, Jacob saw that he was looking at the back of a female; she spoke softly. "Welcome Gatekeeper, I hope I have not troubled you."  
  
She turned around and faced Jacob. Jacob gasped and turned away suddenly, she was completely nude. Her skin was golden, her hair was golden blonde, and her eyes shined emerald with golden outlines.  
  
"Do not be shy, you may face me," she spoke. Jacob turned around; he avoided looking down and looked her in the eyes. He had to admit, she did have a nice body, but her eyes, there was something different about them, yes, they were beautiful, but entrancing. He noticed, out of the corner of his eye, the long staff she held out to the side. It was made out of some sort of metal, and on top, it was crowned with a strange looking clock. But what was strangest, was the hands of the clock, they were curved, and they did not move at a constant speed, they slowed, then sped up. Jacob shook it off and faced the nude woman in front of him.  
  
"Wh-who are you?" Jacob stammered out.  
  
"I am Akroma, Avatar of Ashla, Goddess of Time. I am here to charge the Gatekeeper."  
  
"Gatekeeper? What are you talking about?" Jacob asked.  
  
"The Gatekeeper is the holder and protector of the Key's to the Triforce."  
  
"Key's to the Triforce? All right, now I'm really lost." Jacob stated.  
  
"Walk with me, Gatekeeper." She started away, Jacob in toll, dodging her long golden aura of hair.  
  
"Why are you calling me the Gatekeeper?" Jacob asked, a thousand questions running through his mind.  
  
"Are you not in possession of the Master Sword and the Ocarina of Time?" she asked.  
  
"The what?"  
  
"Ancient relics of the Hylian lineage, able to manipulate time itself." She said as Akroma stood at the edge of a small lake they had come to. Her golden mane wrapped around her body. "I know it's a lot to take in all at once, young one. But everything will be clear soon. Your destiny will be revealed. But now I must depart, fare thee well, Gatekeeper." Her physical form began to fade out; Jacob rushed forward to stop her.  
  
"Wait, I don't understand! Don't leave!" Jacob yelled at the space where she had been standing.  
  
"You will, you will." Her voice whispered in his thoughts.  
  
Akroma, Avatar of Ashla, Goddess of Time, vanished, leaving Jacob alone.  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob awoke, he felt groggy, and he looked around to assure himself that what he had just witnessed was indeed a dream. He looked on his dresser to see the book and egg-flute sitting there, and on his floor, in front of his closet was the broken sword. The strange gem seemed to be glowing, and then he realized that it was the sunlight shining in from his window. Then he noticed it, the clock, he was late!  
  
Jacob jumped out of bed and grabbed the nearest shirt and pants and threw them on, he even managed to grab the book and flute. He rushed down the stairs to the front door and ran outside, he rushed to his car and hopped in and cranked it. With a little force, it was running like a dream. Well, almost. He threw it into gear and squealed out of the driveway.  
  
The trip to Ikana County High School was uneventful, except the radio announcer being a jerk to some unfortunate girl that called in.  
  
He pulled into the parking lot and jumped out, grabbing his bag. He rushed into his first block and found his seat.  
  
"Mister Swanson, I hope you have a good excuse for being late." The teacher told Jacob.  
  
"Uh, well you see, Mister Rogers, I couldn't get out of my driveway because my evil, dark twin demanded that I fight him." Jacob joked, getting a laugh from Sarah, who was behind him, but was cut short as Mister Rogers looked at her with disapproval.  
  
"The next time you are late, I'll want to see you in the office with a better excuse."  
  
Jacob sat back and relaxed in his desk, and when Mister Rogers returned to teaching the current lesson. Jacob turned around and handed Sarah the flute.  
  
"Here, I thought you might like this." He whispered to her.  
  
"Oh, it's beautiful. I like the shade of blue that it is. Thanks, Jacob." She leaned forward and gave him a slight kiss on the cheek.  
  
"That's it?" he asked jokingly.  
  
"Don't push your luck."  
  
* * *  
  
That afternoon, during break, Jacob sat alone and read more in the book, Memoirs of a Princess, totally unaware that he was being stalked. His predator slowly snuck up upon him.  
  
"Derek, cut it out." Jacob said, not even looking up from his book.  
  
"Man, I don't believe that, how did you know?" Derek asked.  
  
"You try it every day, dumbass."  
  
"Oh, yeah." Derek sat down beside Jacob and looked at the book he was reading. "Memoirs of a Princess? Why are you reading this?"  
  
"It's not what you think. It's actually pretty good. Here, read this part." Jacob handed the book to Derek who promptly began to read it aloud.  
  
"Day twenty-two, of Din's second month, Year 564. It has been seven years to the day, I have waited for Link, my beloved, I have hoped not to wait this long, I don't know how much longer I will need to wait for him, my time has grown short. Ganondorf has claimed the Triforce of Power and has murdered my father. I am out of hope, and out of time."  
  
"Oh, yeah, sounds like a good book," Derek flipped through the pages coming across various illustrations, until he stopped on two particularly interesting pictures. One was of a sword, crafted from a blue metal and adorned with the same symbol of three triangles, merged to one. The other picture was of the egg-flute.  
  
"Hey, Jacob, look at this." Derek handed the book to Jacob. "Isn't this the sword you bought?"  
  
Jacob took the book and looked at the illustrations, he read the text over the picture of the egg-flute. "The Ocarina of Time, enchanted by the Goddess Ashla." he stopped, then read on, "Is the family treasure of the Royal Hylian Family. It is able to manipulate." Jacob stopped and looked at the picture again. It was the exact instrument that he had given Sarah.  
  
Jacob turned the page and saw musical notes jotted down. He jumped up and looked to Derek, "Sarah's gonna need to see this." He couldn't think of anything else, what would his best friend say if he had said: "Sarah may be able to travel through time."  
  
"But, she's in class, she has band."  
  
"Exactly." Jacob ran forward.  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob and Derek got in the band room just as the sound of a flute floated to their ears.  
  
"No." Jacob mumbled.  
  
They saw Sarah, playing the instrument, surrounded by a bunch of her friends, then suddenly, a bright blue column of light shone down on her, and she was gone. It was so fast. Jacob and Derek rushed forward.  
  
"Oh no." Jacob said.  
  
"Jacob, what's going on?" Derek asked. Everyone else seemed to be too stunned to say anything. 


	4. Chapter Three: Shattering Time

Author's note: I'm going to use a new theory that just came to my attention. According to the theory, Link and Zelda are brother and sister and they don't find out until seven years after Link returns from Termina. So, up until they find out, Zelda is in love with Link.  
  
CHAPTER THREE Shattering Time  
  
"What have I done?" Jacob scolded himself.  
  
"It's not your fault, don't beat yourself up over it." Derek comforted Jacob.  
  
"I should have never given it to her." Jacob had fallen to his knees in sorrow and confessed the dream and journal to Derek just moments after the disappearance of Sarah.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us this? We could have all tried to travel in time." Derek joked towards Jacob trying to lighten the mood. "Well, we now have to find a way to save her."  
  
"How are we gonna do it?" Jacob asked.  
  
"What happened?" a girl asked as the surprise of the crowd that was around Sarah died and was replaced by curiosity. "Jacob, what happened?"  
  
Jacob did not know what to say to the girl, he was just as shocked as she was. They crowded around Jacob and Derek, bursting out questions and demanding they tell them where she went.  
  
Just as they were closing in, A whirling vertex of energy burst down from nowhere and created a circle, in the column of light, Sarah was floating, Jacob burst through the crowd and ran to the column, he wanted to jump through and grab Sarah, but as he collided into the energy, it threw him back as if it were a brick wall.  
  
"What the hell?!" he said. He jumped back to his feet and looked at it, the teacher burst through the door.  
  
"Jacob Swan." the teacher stopped, staring blankly at the column of light. "What the hell?"  
  
The column of light faded and Sarah's body floated down to the ground, her green and black hair was matted with sweat, sweat dripped from her brow. She was unconscious.  
  
Jacob ran forward to her, he cradled her in his arms and held her close, he whispered in her ears. "Sarah, please. please wake up."  
  
Her eyes slowly peeled open and she looked up to Jacob, who cradled her in his arms. She was groggy and she mumbled something, She looked at him with her emerald eyes and smiled slightly. She clutched the ocarina closely to her chest.  
  
"Hey, handsome." she spoke tiredly to Jacob.  
  
"Morning, beautiful." He replied. Derek walked up to them and knelt down next to them. One of the girls that crowded around yelled.  
  
"Sarah, what happened?"  
  
Sarah pushed off Jacob's lap and looked over to the girl. "I don't know. All I remember is floating through a blackness for a split second, then returning right back here."  
  
"Come on," Jacob whispered to Sarah and Derek. "Let's get out of here."  
  
"Not so fast." Called the teacher. "We're gonna figure out what really happened. So if you all would follow me. and all the others. keep this quiet until I return."  
  
The three sighed, wondering what was going to happen to them. Would they be blamed fro pulling some kind of prank? Oh yeah, like the principle was going to believe them. A magical instrument, yeah, right.  
  
* * *  
  
"I can't believe that shit!" Sarah yelled as they got in Jacob's car.  
  
"I know, they don't believe us, I knew they wouldn't." Derek said.  
  
Jacob said nothing as he cranked up the car and drove out of the parking lot. Sarah looked at him and leaned closer.  
  
"I'm sorry for scaring you like that." She whispered.  
  
"It's okay. I knew you could handle yourself." Jacob lied. Deep down, he was scared, he did not want anything to happen to her. He cared about her, in some way, he could not explain it, but it was there. Maybe he was in love with her. He did not know yet. But he could not think about it right now.  
  
"Yeah, you're a tough girl." Derek said. Sarah leaned back in the seat, allowing Jacob access to the gearshift and change gears.  
  
"We need to take that stuff back." Jacob said finally.  
  
"You're right." Derek agreed.  
  
"We need to stop by your house to get that sword." Sarah said from her laid back position. Jacob subconsciously reached to his pocket to reassure himself that the book was still there.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob whipped the vehicle into his driveway and turned off the ignition. As he got out, he told the others: "Stay here, I won't be long." Derek nodded his agreement and Sarah, well, she was asleep so she really did not respond.  
  
Jacob walked in and ran up the stairs. He opened his room and went to his dresser. There it sat, the blue-steel sword hilt, next to his kendo medal. He grabbed the sword and ran out and down the stairs.  
  
"And where exactly do you think you're going?" Jacob's mother called to him from behind.  
  
Jacob stopped and turned around, sliding the hilt in his pocket. "I was going out with the guys before kendo tonight."  
  
"I don't think so. I got a call from the school today, they said you played a prank on the class."  
  
"Mom, it wasn't ."  
  
"I don't want to discuss it. They assigned you and your friends two days in In-School-Suspension. But, I'm grounding you."  
  
"But!"  
  
"Nothing. You go to your room, I don't want to see you until time for kendo tonight."  
  
Jacob turned and went up the stairs. He heard his mother call to his retreating back: "I thought I raised you better."  
  
Jacob got in his room, and immediately looked to his window. He ran to it and silently lifted the lock and eased out. He was on the roof. He looked around and found the column that held the covering over the porch. He eased onto it and dropped down, he landed with a dull thud and immediately jumped up and went to his car. As he got in, Derek and Sarah looked at him with quizzical looks.  
  
"She knew."  
  
Derek and Sarah both understood what he meant. Jacob put the car in neutral and let it roll out of the driveway and as soon as the car hit the street, he turned the ignition and instantly put it into gear and went off as quietly and speedily as he could.  
  
* * *  
  
"What?" Derek exclaimed.  
  
"Where's the shop, Jacob?" Sarah said, holding the ocarina in her hand. The spot was completely empty. Jacob, Sarah and Derek was standing in front of the store they had just been to the night before, but it looked like it has not been used in years. Cobwebs and burn marks, reminders of a hard past were there that did not exist at all the previous night.  
  
"Maybe we're at the wrong spot." Derek proposed.  
  
"No, this is the right place, look at the address." Sarah said. Jacob was walking back and forth, the hilt still in his pocket along with the book.  
  
An elderly lady was walking by at that time and Jacob immediately stopped her.  
  
"Excuse me, ma'am, but we're looking for the sword shop that was here last night, do you know what happened to it?"  
  
The woman stopped and looked at Jacob, "I'm sorry, son, but that place has been empty for years, I don't know any one who would want to be in there." The woman nodded and walked away.  
  
"That's impossible." Sarah said to herself, "We were just there last night."  
  
"Come on, we need to find something out. And fast, so mom doesn't know I was gone." Jacob said.  
  
"Yeah," Sarah, Derek and Jacob began walking back to the car when it happened. Sarah tripped; the ocarina went spiraling out of her hands.  
  
Derek and Jacob both reacted, they both reached to grasp her. As they caught her, the ocarina hit the ground, shattering. In a flash of brilliant white and blue light, the three found themselves tumbling through the darkness.  
  
Sarah opened her eyes to find a regal white horse galloping at him at breakneck speeds. 


	5. Chapter Four: A New Presence

CHAPTER FOUR A New Presence  
  
The horse bounded forward, driven by the ferocity of the battle behind it and the yells from the wounded woman on the saddle. She clutched her bundle tightly, knowing what would happen if it were to fall into the hands of the Gerudo.  
  
That's when it happened, some strange girl just appeared in front of the horse, spooking it. The horse reared back, throwing the woman off.  
  
* * *  
  
Sarah turned away as the horse reared up, fearing that she would be kicked. Derek dove and grabbed her just moments before the horse's hooves hit the spot where she was standing.  
  
Jacob ran over to the woman that had fallen of the horse. He slid next to her and lifted her head with his arm.  
  
"Ma'am, are you alright?" he asked urgently, as he did so, he was brushing some of the blood-matted hair from her face and noticed she was clutching the bundle tightly.  
  
"Pl.please, you have to help him." she spoke just barely over a whisper, "help him."  
  
Then, Jacob noticed it, the arrow, protruding from her chest. He attempted to reach for it, but the woman stopped him, and told him: "no, leave it."  
  
She handed Jacob the bundle in her arms and pointed to the forest, "please, you must hurry, t.take him into the Forbidden Forest. please, b.bef.ore they find.you."  
  
Her blue eyes clouded and she slumped in Jacob's lap, he looked down at the bundle and realized what he held. A baby. A baby boy with blue eyes and blonde hair.  
  
Jacob lifted the woman's head out of his lap and lifted the child in his arms. He sighed and walked over to where Sarah and Derek sat, Sarah was sobbing into her hands and Derek just looked down.  
  
"Jacob, I don't think we're not home." Sarah said in between sobs. Her hair was dripping with and her face was red and her eyes were puffy.  
  
"What gives you that idea?" Jacob asked as he shifted the bundle in his hands.  
  
Derek just looked up and pointed. Jacob turned to look at where he had pointed and saw a ominous castle in the distance. "Well, that was never there." Jacob said to himself.  
  
Jacob then realized the fire and smoke around the castle, and the many people fighting outside it. They looked like ants, they were so far away.  
  
"What is this?" Sarah asked, now recovering from her sobbing, a new wave of it threatening her.  
  
"We need to get out of here, follow me." Jacob cried. He started a dead run towards the forest and before the others could say anything. They had no choice but to follow him.  
  
As they ran, Sarah heard horse hooves hitting the ground somewhere behind her. She ran faster, driving to get there. As they reached the edge of the forest they could hear someone yelling back where they just were. Jacob could not understand what they were saying, it was in a strange language.  
  
They all plopped to the ground as Sarah brought up the rear. She was panting hard. "There's some freaky women on horseback, waving around these curved swords and speaking some kind of strange language."  
  
"Jacob, what is that?" Derek said, pointing to the bundle.  
  
"This is the reason we had to get out of here." He opened it up to reveal the baby, and Sarah and Derek both looked in awe. "That woman back there told me to take it to the Forbidden Forest, then." he hesitated. "she's no longer able to help us."  
  
"Derek and Sarah both looked to the ground. Sarah sniffled a bit, fighting to keep her composure.  
  
"Come on, we have to find a place to spend the night." Derek said as he bagan to walk deeper into the woods.  
  
"Where are we going?" Sarah called to him. Derek only shrugged. Sarah hesitated but when she saw Jacob offer his hand, she nodded and took it, and walked along with him. They took turns carrying the infant.  
  
* * *  
  
"This looks good." Derek called. Sarah was carrying the infant and Jacob looked wore out. Derek motioned to a cave in the cliff face, it was about six feet tall and four feet wide.  
  
"It's small, but it'll work." Jacob said. The baby was snuggling up to Sarah and beginning to fall to sleep.  
  
They entered the cave and settled down. Jacob sat down and pulled the book from his pocket and opened it up. Sarah was nestled into a corner, and the baby was wrapped in her jacket.  
  
Derek was sitting next to her. Jacob began reading to himself. He was almost asleep when the infant awoke and began crying. Sarah jumped up and immediately began to try and quiet the child.  
  
"Jacob, it's not working. I think he's hungry. Try and find something." Jacob looked at Sarah.  
  
"You're a female." Jacob said smiling,  
  
"This isn't the time."  
  
"I know, C'mon Derek, let's go out and find something." Derek nodded and they both left, feeling sure that nothing would happen to Sarah while they were away.  
  
* * *  
  
"Derek, have you found anything at all?"  
  
"No, it looks all burnt. There's nothing."  
  
"Did you here that?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Shh. I don't think we're alone.." 


	6. Chapter Five: A New Face

CHAPTER FIVE A New Face  
  
"Jacob, do you have that sword on ya?" Derek asked through a whisper. He had ducked behind a tree, along with Jacob and listened as they heard footsteps come closer and closer.  
  
"Yeah, it's right here." He pulled from his belt and held it so Derek could see it. "I don't see what good it'll do, it's still broken."  
  
"Better than nothing." Derek said.  
  
They listened as the steps were closing in; Derek peeked around the tree and saw a dark figure walking fast towards them, a long cloak billowing out from behind the figure.  
  
"Here he comes." Derek whispered.  
  
Just as the steps reached them, they both jumped out and tackled the person to the ground, a feminine squeal followed. Both boys jumped up and watched as the person they tacked was revealed as a woman, with long dark hair and beautiful blue eyes.  
  
"What in the Sacred Realm are you doing? I must be away!" She jumped up and attempted to run away, but Jacob caught her arm.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I've no time to talk, I'm in terrible danger." She stated, she fixed her hood upon her head and turned again.  
  
"Come with us." Jacob said and pulled her with him back in the direction of the cave.  
  
"Wha. What are you doing? Who are you?" She said in a raised whisper.  
  
"Jacob, what are you doing? We don't know her!" Derek said as he followed suit.  
  
"She can give us some information."  
  
As they neared the cave, Sarah was waiting for them at the entrance with the infant in her arms.  
  
"What? Who's that?" She said. Jacob did not answer, so she pursued them inside.  
  
* * *  
  
"My name is Anastriana, but my friends call me Anna." The woman said, "I was in service to the Gerudo, until they found my ruse, I was a spy for the Hylian army. My mission was to. Why am I telling you this? How do I know you're not with the Gerudo?" She suddenly looked suspicious of Sarah and then looked to Jacob and Derek, "Of course, men are banned from the Gerudo, so maybe you aren't."  
  
"We need your." Jacob began but then was silenced as Anastriana put her hand to his mouth.  
  
"Shhh. They are coming." She said silently, only the coos of the infant could be heard as they sat there in the silence.  
  
They listened as hooves could be heard coming closer, they could hear the voices of the pursuers speaking in a unknown language, it sounded as if it were Arabic.  
  
They heard dogs bark, and then was followed by the hooves trampling away and the voices trailing away.  
  
"Who are they?" Sarah whispered.  
  
"They are the Gerudo, under the service of their king, Lord Ganondorf." Anastriana said.  
  
"Anna, we need your help." Jacob said, sliding closer to the woman.  
  
"What is it?" She said. She pulled her hood back and looked at Jacob who gasped at what he saw, her ears were not small and round, but long and pointed.  
  
"Your ears." He said, which was followed by questions from Sarah and Derek.  
  
"It is a Hylian trait, I'm a Hylian. As I can clearly see, you are not." She said.  
  
"No, were human." Derek said.  
  
"I see, I've never heard of you before." She said, she pulled her torn cloak off and revealed a long gray robe that was tore and filled with holes, "You said you needed my help?"  
  
Jacob looked to her and gave a slight smile, "Do you know where the Forbidden Forest is?"  
  
"Yes, but as it name suggests, it is forbidden, all who go in never return." She said, her face darkened.  
  
"We need you to show us how to get in. I made a promise to someone to take this infant to the Forest." Jacob said.  
  
"You can't, no one can enter the forest." She said,  
  
"Fine, if you won't help, then I'll go alone, who else will join me?" Jacob said, as he walked over to Sarah and took the infant gently into his arms.  
  
"Jacob, I'll go." Derek said as he stood up and looked to the girls.  
  
Sarah sighed and looked up with her emerald eyes. "Somebody has to keep an eye on you two."  
  
"Are you people crazy? You can't just waltz into to Forbidden Forest, the Forest may cover thousands of miles, but no one enters with out the Kokiri knowing, unless you know what you're doing." Anastriana said to them, she had jumped up and was following them to the mouth of the cave and pleading with them not to go.  
  
"Look, I made a promise, you can stay here, I'm sure you'll be safe from those. Gerudo." Jacob walked out of the cave, followed by the others.  
  
"I'll show you the way," Anastriana said as she burst out of the cave and walked briskly in front of Jacob, "Follow me."  
  
* * * 


	7. Chapter Six: The Legend of the Plague

CHAPTER SIX The Legend of the Plague  
  
The baby's cries echoed throughout the forest, unable to be quieted by Jacob, the baby was passed to Derek, then to Sarah, who then was rocking the baby and singing softly, Anastriana came up behind Sarah and looked at the baby, her ears drooped when she realized what was happening.  
  
"The baby is hungry. Someone is going to have to feed him." She said a- matter-of-factly.  
  
"Don't look at me or Jacob," Derek said, "we're mammary-less. If you get my drift."  
  
Jacob smiled, looking in Sarah's direction.  
  
"Wait, no, uh-uh, not me. I can't do it, I don't even know what to do....."  
  
"I'll do it, but you boys have to go on the other side of that boulder, Sarah, you can stay if you wish." Anastriana said as she pulled the baby from Sarah's arms and sat on a fallen tree.  
  
They had just entered the boundaries of the Forbidden Forest when the baby began to cry and in fearing for being caught, they had hidden in an outcropping of rocks. Jacob and Derek both went and sat behind the rocks and Anastriana pulled off her cloak, then eased the straps from her robe, she wore a necklace that had the same symbol as the book and sword, the three triangles merged into one, she pushed the necklace aside and began. Sarah sat next to her, and talked to her while she fed the boy. -- ((Author's Note: I know a woman must be pregnant before her glands will produce milk, but she's a Hylian, we don't know their physiology, so use your imagination.))--  
  
Derek and Jacob sat with their backs against a huge boulder; Derek leaned over to Jacob and started to talk silently.  
  
"I know we've not even realized this, but we're not in our home." He said, he reached up and motioned to the moon. Jacob followed his gaze and realized that there wasn't one, but two moons.  
  
"I know. I just didn't want to think about it. I wonder how Sarah is really taking this, she doesn't seem affected," Jacob sat with his back to the rock and listened as they could hear Sarah's and Anna's muffled voices.  
  
"What do you think they're talking about?" Derek said after a few silent moments.  
  
"Women stuff, you know, where to shop at the mall, what kind of makeup to wear. The usual." Jacob said, he had succeeded in lightening the mood and both shared a momentary laugh.  
  
"We need to find one of those blue light thingies" Derek said after the laugh had subsided.  
  
"Yeah, but where?" Jacob said.  
  
"We could use the flute..... Oh, no, I forgot, breaking it is what brought us here. Shit!" Derek said.  
  
"Are you guys all right?!" Sarah's voice called from afar.  
  
"Yeah, we're just discussing about what to do." Jacob yelled back.  
  
* * *  
  
"So, tell me, I know you're not from around here, so where are you from?" Anastriana asked of Sarah.  
  
"We come from a place far from here, called New York." Sarah said.  
  
"I've never heard of it. I would very much like to see it." Anna said.  
  
"Maybe you can, but right now we don't know how to get back." Sarah said, she shifted against the granite wall and watched the baby quietly suckling away.  
  
"What brought you here?"  
  
"I'm not quite sure, all I remember is falling and hearing that flute break and finding myself in front of a horse and Jacob saving me."  
  
"Jacob, he is the blonde one?"  
  
"Yes." Sarah looked up at the stars in thought, thinking about all the things that has happened thus far. She reached up and brushed her hand through her hair and then sat down against the wall.  
  
"You care for him?" Anna asked,  
  
"I..... I'm not sure. I don't know,"  
  
"I was in love once....." Anastriana said, she shifted the baby in her arms and slide closer to Sarah, "You never know what you have, until you lose it. Remember that, child."  
  
Sarah looked up in confusion to Anastriana and she only smiled and said: "You'll understand later in your quest. Trust me."  
  
The baby pushed away and cooed towards Anastriana and she looked down and with one hand she pulled her robe back over her to cover her breast.  
  
"Baby's done. You can call the boys back." Anna said to Sarah as she laid the baby on her shoulder to burp him.  
  
Sarah went over to the boulder and called to the boys, "Jacob, Derek, you can come back now."  
  
Jacob and Derek came from behind the boulder. Jacob noted how beautifully the moon shone into Sarah's emerald eyes.  
  
* * *  
  
Everyone was asleep, the baby was tucked between Anastriana and Sarah and Derek was next to Anastriana, his back to her, Jacob on the other hand, was up, and was sitting on one of the large boulders. He pulled the book he carried with him from his pocket and opened it up. He began reading to pass the time.  
  
In the past, the sword of light, the Master Sword was forged, and in it was the sealed the power of the elements, Wind, Water, Fire, and Earth, but the fifth element, Plague, was not so kind. She destroyed all things and was murderous. Her sisters sealed her away with the help of a brave knight and the power of the Master Sword. They sealed her in the Goddess of the Sand. In order to revive the dark element, the Master Sword must be placed in as the key, and the four sisters will be confined to open the seal, releasing that which is destined to destroy.  
  
"Jacob? Is that you?" A voice called from behind him.  
  
"Yeah, I couldn't sleep." Jacob called back to Sarah.  
  
"Me either."  
  
"I wanted to tell you something Jacob." Sarah said as she came up behind him and laid her chin on his shoulder.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"I wanted to say that....."  
  
Jacob suddenly put his finger to her lips and she silenced. As they sat there in the silence, they could hear muffled footsteps in the underbrush. Then, something whizzed by Jacob's head and he instantly dove down dropping the book and taking Sarah with him. He looked to the tree where it had hit and saw an arrow, a long thick black arrow.  
  
"We've got to get out of here. Derek! Anna! We'll under attack!"  
  
Sarah helped Anna and the infant to her feet and Derek jumped up. The sound of many feet running was now upon them and they started running.  
  
"Where are we going, Jacob?" Sarah yelled from behind him.  
  
"Into the thick trees!" He called.  
  
"But that's the beginning of the Forbidden Forest! We'll get lost!" Anna called to him.  
  
"We have no choice!" Derek said, "I have no intention of becoming Swiss cheese!"  
  
* * *  
  
A large cloaked figured came to the outcrop and was looking around, he looked through the rocks and came across the book that was dropped by Jacob. The figure put the book into his robes and followed his guards deeper into the forest.  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob and company entered to forest and hid in a huge hollowed tree. They stayed there until they could hear the feet. They heard their pursuers stop right outside the tree and yell something to some large cloaked figure in their strange language.  
  
"Whoo, that was close....." Derek breathed. Then, everybody startled when they heard their pursuers come towards the tree.  
  
"Shit....." 


	8. Chapter Seven: Guardians of the Forest

CHAPTER SEVEN The Guardians of the Forbidden Forest  
  
Jacob readied his sword as the footsteps drew closer and closer. He pushed the others behind him and lifted the broken sword above his head and prepared to kill the intruder when they appeared.  
  
Jacob's breath drew in ragged as he prepared to do what he must. The baby cooed and the footsteps stopped. All of them turned the Anastriana who held the baby, she looked up worried. The footsteps came again, faster this time.  
  
"Hello?" called a young girl's voice.  
  
Jacob looked at the others and shrugged, he then peeked out and saw the owner of the voice, a young girl, about ten, and she wore dark green clothing and had emerald eyes.  
  
She spotted Jacob and looked closer at him, "Hello, may I ask you why you have entered our realm?"  
  
"Uh, well..." Jacob eased out of the tree and walked a few steps towards the girl. "I'm...We're here to do a favor for someone."  
  
"We?" the girl asked. Upon further inspection, the girl had green hair and she shared the same distinctive ears as Anastriana.  
  
"Me and my friends." Jacob answered as he turned to the tree and motioned to the three coming warily out of it.  
  
"We're looking for the guardians of the forest." Anastriana said.  
  
"Well, you found us. The Kokiri." She walked up to Jacob and held her hand out. "My name is Saria, I'm elder of the Kokiri."  
  
"Elder? You look young enough to be my daughter." Anastriana said to her.  
  
The green haired girl, Saria, cut her a look and stated: "I'm one hundred and twenty-two years old." ((Author's Note: In "Ocarina of Time", Mido is Elder of the Kokiri, so I changed that, and I don't know if they age that old, but I do know they never grow up physically, so, I'm using it. Besides, you've probably noticed that I changed the storyline of OoT anyway.))  
  
Anastriana raised her eyebrow and glared at the girl. Sarah caught this and nudged her, when Anastriana looked, Sarah shook her head.  
  
"Saria, can you take to your, uh, head honcho, you know, your big boss?" Derek asked. Saria looked puzzled.  
  
"I'm the Kokiri's boss." She said.  
  
"No, What he means is whoever gives you orders." Jacob said. He had stepped closer to Saria to talk to her.  
  
"Oh, Okay. Follow me." She rushed forward into the forest, and Jacob just noticed the faerie, or what he thought was a faerie, sitting on her shoulder.  
  
* * *  
  
As the group entered the Kokiri's village, they received stares from all the "children" running around. The stares were ones of confusion, wonder, awe, and fear.  
  
They entered another part of the village, a small passageway that eventually opened up into a clearing. In the center was a gargantuan tree. Saria turned around and looked to Jacob. "You and your friends are going to have to stay here for a moment." Jacob nodded. Anastriana still stared at the girl, holding the child in her arms.  
  
Sarah came up to Jacob and put her arm around his waist and held him close. "Jacob, I want to talk to you when we get the chance. Okay?"  
  
"Sure." Jacob looked over at Sarah and realized how alike Saria Sarah looked. The green highlights in Sarah's hair were the same and they shared the same green eyes and hairstyle. The only thing that was missing from Sarah was the ears; she looked better with her own ears anyway.  
  
Saria went to the large tree, lifted her arms and declared: "Oh, Great Deku Tree! Saria, Orator of your wisdom has come to seek an audience. I have brought the disturbance you sensed in the forest, they seek your wisdom."  
  
"Bring them before me!" The bellowing voice cried. Jacob's eyes widened and realized, the tree had a face in it.  
  
"Jacob, come." Saria came and took Jacob's hand and led him to the front of the tree. He stood there; he could feel the Tree's invisible eyes look him over.  
  
"Speak, why hast thou come to seek mine wisdom?" the Tree boomed.  
  
"We were sent to bring this child before you." He turned and motioned that Anastriana come to him. She brought the baby in her arms and stood next to Jacob.  
  
"Bring the child before me." Anastriana took a few steps forward. "Yes, I sense divineness in this child. This is a child of destiny. You may leave him in our care. Orator, take this child, treat him as your own. Love him and nurture him." Saria came up and took the child gently into her arms from Anastriana and smiled up at the taller woman. She then turned to walk off back to the village.  
  
"Wait." Saria turned around to face Anastriana who called. Anastriana reached behind her neck and unclasped her necklace, the one of three golden triangles, she flipped it over in her hands and looked at her name engraved upon it. She sighed, then smiled and placed it around the infant's neck. "For luck, little one." Saria then turn and scurried into the forest towards the village. Anastriana turned back to face the Deku Tree with Jacob.  
  
"I sense you wish to ask me of another favor?" The Deku Tree spoke at Jacob.  
  
"Yes, we are not of this... time. We need help returning." He said, the others had gathered behind him.  
  
"I see." The tree spoke softly now. "As the Sage of the Forest, I can help you, but you may never return, or risk destroying the fabric of time, you were lucky once,"  
  
"Thank you." Jacob said and he turned to his friends. "We're finally going home!" Jacob turned to Anastriana. "Thank you for your help, Anna. We appreciate it."  
  
"Jacob, Sarah, and Derek. I want to say that it was a pleasure to meet you all." Anna said. Anastriana looked at Derek, she walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek. "Especially you." Derek blushed.  
  
"You should come with us!" Sarah walked to Anna, "You would enjoy the twenty-first century."  
  
"I don't know. I really shouldn't." Anna said.  
  
Derek looked at Anna and smiled, he sighed and looked into her blue eyes. He mouthed the word "please"  
  
Anastriana smiled, and walked up to Derek, and hugging him, whispered into his ear. "I will."  
  
Derek nodded to Jacob who looked to the Tree and cried. "We're ready."  
  
"Very Well then, Good luck, Jacob." The Tree boomed. A column of light descended down upon them. Sarah grabbed Jacob's hand and squeezed. They rose into the air and went into a whirling vertex of white light. Jacob closed his eyes and thought not of the rising sickness in his stomach.  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob felt solid ground beneath his feet and decided to open his eyes. Instead of finding themselves in a city, like they should. Akroma stood before him. Her golden body shining. He looked around and saw nothing but black.  
  
"Where are we?" 


	9. Chapter Eight: A Taste of Hell

CHAPTER EIGHT A Taste of Hell  
  
Jacob got to his feet and looked around, he saw Anastriana and Derek across from him, and Sarah at his feet. He reached down and offered his hand to her. She smiled and accepted and Jacob pulled her to her feet.  
  
Jacob looked around; he was on a platform, surrounded by blackness. In the distant he could see what looked like asteroids floating in the distance. Every now and then he could see lightning leap from asteroid to asteroid. He could see other platforms floating around, once in a while; one would be caught between rocks and was struck by a passing bolt.  
  
Jacob looked from Sarah's warm smile to Akroma. "Hey, I know you, you were in my dream."  
  
"Welcome, Gatekeeper." She said, not even turning to him.  
  
"I knew it." Jacob cried triumphantly. "So, Akroma, where are we?"  
  
"We are in the realm between time." Akroma said. Derek walked over and piped in.  
  
"Why are we here? We were supposed to be home." Derek butted in.  
  
"This is no concern of yours." Akroma said sharply to Derek.  
  
Derek turned and stormed off; he went back to where Anastriana sat. He sat next to her and leaned close. "Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Yeah, sure." Anastriana said. She turned to face him, her eyes darkened.  
  
"About back there, I was..." Derek started.  
  
"It was nothing, I don't want to discuss it." Anastriana said.  
  
"What? It must have meant something." Derek said.  
  
"I said I didn't want to talk about it!" she snapped.  
  
"Fine." Derek turned and as he walked away, he heard Anastriana mumble something about credulity.  
  
* * *  
  
"Akroma, why exactly are we here and not home?" Jacob asked. He shuffled his feet as he looked at Sarah out of the corner of his eye, she looked worried.  
  
"Something has disturbed the time flow. Mainly, your guest, Anastriana." Akroma said, she shifted the scepter in her hand to the other hand.  
  
"How is that?"  
  
"She originally isn't supposed to exist in your time, and by bringing her, it has disrupted it." She stopped as if listening, her pointed ears twitched, and that is when Jacob noticed it. Her ears were exactly like Anastriana's.  
  
"Something else has disturbed it. I believe one of you left something behind."  
  
Jacob instantly felt on his body, he found the broken sword, and nothing else. The journal was missing.  
  
"Damn, the book, I must've dropped it." Jacob looked to Akroma, his eyes filled with dread.  
  
"You must not worry. I'm sure nothing will become of this mistake." She sighed, a feeling of doubt washed over her. "If you wish to return to your own time, you must give me a day, I must gather power from Ashla, Goddess of Time. So, rest, let your wounds heal and your minds clear."  
  
"Thank you." Jacob walked over to Sarah and Derek. He looked from them to Anastriana. "What's up with Anna?" He looked to Derek.  
  
"I don't know. PMS?" Sarah socked Derek in the arm. "Ow. I didn't mean it."  
  
"Well, Sarah, go tell her to rest. Derek and I will do the same." He glared at Derek in a don't-do-it-again way. He watched as Sarah went over to Anastriana and say something, then Sarah sat down and started talking to her.  
  
Derek and Jacob plopped down on the platform and closed their eyes, the only thing intruding upon their rest was the sound of electricity striking every now and then, and Akroma's silent chanting.  
  
* * *  
  
All four stood to Akroma's golden back. Her golden mane swayed in the absent wind. She chanted a bit, then turned, Jacob still turned red when he looked at her. She held the scepter high above her head and yelled. "Ashla, Goddess of Time, as your Avatar, I beg of thee, allow me to revel in your power and send this fellowship to the time they wish!"  
  
The scepter glowed red, then darkened into a lavender, then blue. A beam of light shot from nowhere onto the Jacob, Sarah, Anastriana and Derek. To them, their surroundings fuzzed then faded from view.  
  
Jacob opened his eyes not to find his beautiful home in front of him, but a hellish nightmare.  
  
"What the fu..." he stopped.  
  
"No, no, no, this isn't right!" Sarah looked around in disbelief.  
  
The city of New York was a barren wasteland. Buildings toppled, fires raged, and in the center, a large tower that reached into the clouds. Jacob looked around for a street name; he found a broken sign that read half of the right name. Yes, this was the right street, but where was his house.  
  
He looked for the two story house, with a small yard, instead, he found a crater, in the middle burned a fire.  
  
Without thinking, he dove into the crater and began calling for his mother.  
  
"Jacob, what are you doing?" Sarah called to him, Anastriana was walking around looking."  
  
"Mom!" he cried, he ignored Sarah's question.  
  
Jacob spotted something shining in the rubble. He rushed over to it and began digging. He jerked away when he uncovered it.  
  
A hand clutching something gold, he ignored the gold and followed the burnt arm to the body.  
  
"Oh my god, Derek, you need to help him!" Sarah cried to him. Derek slid down into the crater and followed up behind Jacob.  
  
"No, no, no, no, NO!" Jacob cried. He had found his mother, dead. Her charred remains lay in front of Jacob in a fetal position, her outstretched arm seemed to be reaching for something. A picture. Jacob picked it up and looked at it. It was of him.  
  
"Why couldn't I have been here for you?" Jacob dropped to his knees and cradled his mom's head. "Why? Why?" Jacob's voice trailed off and was replaced by sobs.  
  
"If this has happened to everyone, what was the cause?" Anastriana's voice startled Sarah who was wiping tears from her eyes.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Jacob looked to what the charred hand held. He took the hand and pried the fingers open. A golden necklace fell out into his hand. Jacob gasped as he looked at it. Three golden triangles, formed to one, and on the back was engraved the name: Anastriana.  
  
Jacob turned from his hand, to Anastriana; a look of foreboding crossed both faces. 


	10. Chapter Nine: A Nightmare Lived

CHAPTER NINE A Nightmare Lived  
  
Realization hit Sarah hard. No one was alive, and if they stayed there, they would not be either. She dropped to her knees and broke down in sobs. Derek climbed out of the crater and sat next to her. Sarah buried her face into his shirt. She mumbled something incoherent in her sobbing.  
  
"It's okay, we'll be fine." Derek comforted her.  
  
Anastriana looked around, her pointed ears stood out, as if listening to some distant noise. She then looked down at Jacob's crouched form and spoke: "Jacob, did you find anything?"  
  
Down in the crater, Jacob was down on his knees; he held the necklace in his cupped hands. Confusion was on his face. He heard Anastriana's question and he turned his head towards her. He did not know what to say, he felt angry, confused, and saddened. The necklace, Anastriana's necklace, in his mother's hand. When he plainly saw Anastriana give to the child in the forest... That child... There was something about him... These thoughts swirled in and out of Jacob's mind.  
  
He stood up; the wind blew its breath through his shoulder-length, blonde hair. He ripped a long strip from his button shirt off and tied his hair back, his bang left to float in the wind.  
  
He walked towards Anastriana, the necklace clutched tightly in his hand. He walked briskly, at one point he stumbled over something, and after righting himself, he furiously kicked it out of his way, yelling in fury.  
  
He stumbled out of the crater, panting heavily. He immediately walked over to Anastriana and pulled her hand out and put the necklace into it.  
  
"Explain." He demanded.  
  
Anastriana looked at the necklace, her necklace. She could not think of anything to say, she could not explain. She unconsciously turned the necklace over, sure enough, there was her name engraved into the top triangle.  
  
"It was in my mother's hand." Jacob said, forcefully, "I want an explanation."  
  
Sarah pulled away from Derek and looked over to the two locked in confrontation.  
  
"I... I don't know... I can't explain, I gave it to the infant in the forest, you ... you saw me. Didn't you?" Anastriana said in her defense.  
  
Jacob did not say anything. He looked at her for a moment; he looked her up and down, as if measuring her up for a fight. He sighed, then pushed past her and stormed off, towards the large tower that rested in the center of New York.  
  
"Jacob, where are you going?" Sarah rushed forward, Derek caught her.  
  
"C'mon, lets go see if any of our relatives survived, let him be." Derek said to her. Sarah and Derek turned and walked away; Anastriana looked down at the necklace, then turned and followed Sarah and Derek.  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob walked along; he kicked stones and other debris out of his way. He came to a street that had hundreds upon hundreds of footprints through it. He looked along; they headed in the direction of the tower.  
  
Jacob sighed. He did not know what to do. Here he was, home, but this was not the home he knew. He thought back to the forest, he remembered being attack by those...people. Then he remembered it. The book.  
  
* * *  
  
Sarah stumbled along the uneven ground, every now and then, she would trip, and Derek would attempt to catch her. Sometimes, he would succeed, sometimes he would fail.  
  
They came upon a small cliff that opened into a large field; in it laid thousands upon thousands of bodies. Some were charred and burnt, arrows protruded through some. The smell of rotting and scorched flesh greeted their nostrils.  
  
"Oh, God." Sarah said, she turned and vomited. She lurched over onto her knees. And crawled away from the sight. Derek could hear her vomit again.  
  
Derek took a deep breath and slid down the edge into the field of death.  
  
* * *  
  
The book floated into Jacob's mind. He tried to figure out how it could have caused this. He gave up as he passed by the same pile of rubble again. He had been walking in circles. He took a left and continued walking. He came to a large crater, in it he saw bodies, but then he saw something moving around down there. He drew his broken sword and slid down into it.  
  
He slowly moved toward the thing or person. His steps were soft and measured. He was tense in this moment. Whoever it was, they would answer to him.  
  
He ran forward in rage, then stopped short.  
  
"Derek?" Jacob asked. "What the hell?"  
  
"Hey, find anything?" Derek asked Jacob, who lowered the broken sword.  
  
"No.. Oh my god..." Jacob ran over to a pile of broken bodies.  
  
"What is it?" Derek said. He stopped behind Jacob and looked. "NO!"  
  
Derek dropped to his knees. His faced buried into his hands.  
  
"Don't tell Sarah." Jacob commanded. In the pile lay Derek's parents, and under their bodies lay others, including Sarah's parents.  
  
Jacob dropped down to his knees.  
  
"Everything that's happened to us, I'd like to think it was for a reason, but, why this? Why? Why? Why?" As Jacob said this, he beat his hands upon the dead land. "AKROMA!!!" Jacob yelled. He closed his eyes and leaned over, instead of feeling the damp ground against his forehead, he felt cold stone. He looked up and found himself in front of an weathered old woman wearing a golden gown. Her face was unfamiliar, but her hair and eyes gave it away.  
  
Jacob got up, everyone else was on the ground, Derek lay in a fetal position in Sarah's lap, Sarah quietly sobbed and Anastriana stood nearby, looking into the darkness filled with lightning and asteroids.  
  
Jacob walked over to Akroma.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Jacob demanded.  
  
"Please, calm yourself gatekeeper." Akroma urged.  
  
"Don't tell me to calm down, I want to know what the hell is going on? We go home and everything is destroyed." Jacob's anger was evident in his voice. 


	11. Chapter Ten: A Passing

CHAPTER TEN A Passing  
  
Jacob pointed accusingly at Akroma and walked towards her. As he neared, slowed. He lowered his hand and looked at her, her eyes lowered away from his. She was withering away, aging right before Jacob's eyes.  
  
"Akroma, what's happening?" he asked gently. Akroma leaned on her scepter. She sighed and looked up at him, her eyes full of sorrow.  
  
"You left the book." Akroma said weakly, "In doing so, you unleashed a horror beyond anything upon your future."  
  
"Isn't there something we can do?" Jacob asked.  
  
"Yes." She took a deep breath, her voice failing her. "You must travel through time and gather four shards of that weapon you hold." Jacob looked at the broken sword in his belt.  
  
"What's so special about this sword?" Jacob asked. Sarah, Derek and Anastriana walked over to Jacob. A spark of hope lit in them when they heard there was something they could do.  
  
"It's the one sword capable of vanquishing all evil. It is the Master Sword." Akroma lowered her head, her face wrinkling. "I don't have much time. With my remaining power, I grant you armour and weapons to aid you on your quest."  
  
She held her scepter before her. Rings of blue light appeared over the four companions. The rings lowered over them, and in place of their original garbs, they found themselves in different outfits.  
  
Anastriana found herself in a tight leather tank top and a pair of loosely fitting white pants. Her right hand was gloved and in it held a long rapier. A belt around her waist and a sheath on her side. She looked herself over and smiled. She reached up and felt her necklace around her neck.  
  
Jacob wore a black undershirt, over which was a dark leather tunic. A belt over his waist held a beautiful gold and blue scabbard. The Master Sword's hilt locked into it. His dark pants went into his high boots. Flowing down his back was a deep green cloak buttoned around his neck with an emerald leaf.  
  
In a chest plate worn over a leather tunic stood Derek. Leather gauntlets that sported brass knuckles on the gloves protected his forearms. From his belt hung a large war axe. His high boots folded over at the top, half their length covering the other. He picked the axe up and held it in his hands. He balanced it, careful not the drop it.  
  
Sarah was in a tight leather body suit, a low hung belt across her hip and a quiver of arrows on her back. She held in her hand a long bow carved into a beautifully detailed art of vines and leaves.  
  
Akroma lurched forward. Slumping into Jacob's arms. She coughed, and then spoke. "The time is distorted, Ashla no longer has control, and I am dying, it is up to you, gatekeeper." She looked up at him and the others. " And all of you to stop this."  
  
"Akroma, how are we supposed to travel through time?" Sarah asked as she knelt down next to Jacob, a tear streaming down her cheek.  
  
"With this." She handed the scepter to Sarah. "The Chronoscepter, with the help of Ashla, will guide you to each time where a shard is hidden." She tensed and Jacob held her to him, her last breath contained to words: "Good luck."  
  
Sarah set the Chronoscepter down and took Akroma's body from Jacob. She held her in her arms. "What did we do to deserve this?" Jacob did not answer. He stood up and walked to the edge. Derek followed.  
  
"Derek, we can't do this." Jacob whispered. "I can't do this. In the past twenty-four hours, we've lost everything. This is too big."  
  
"Jacob," Derek said, he laid his hand upon his friend's shoulder. "You won't be alone. We'll be with you. We have to do this. I refuse to go back to that... hell."  
  
"I guess you're right."  
  
* * *  
  
They placed Akroma in the center of her platform; Jacob removed his cloak and placed it over her body. He stood over her head and spoke a silent prayer. Afterwards, his companions stood ready to leave, he leaned next to her and spoke quietly.  
  
"I'm sorry we couldn't do anything more for you, but by doing this, maybe we can change this." He placed a hand on her forehead. A single tear fell from his eye. "Thank you for everything." He stood and walked over to the others.  
  
He took the Chronoscepter from Sarah and held it before him. "Ashla, Goddess of Time," he whispered, "Guide us to the shard of the Master Sword."  
  
The hands of the clock atop the scepter began spinning, a column of light dropped upon them and they vanished.  
  
* * *  
  
Sarah opened her eyes and found herself looking over a forest in the horizon, fire raged through it. She could hear people screaming all around her. She cupped her hands over her ears and fell over onto her knees. 


	12. Chapter Eleven: Reflections in the Wate...

CHAPTER ELEVEN Reflections in the Water  
  
Derek pulled Sarah to her feet; she opened her emerald eyes and looked at him. He was saying something but she could not hear him. Derek pulled her hands from her ears while continuing to speak.  
  
"...said are you okay?"  
  
Sarah hesitated, she could still hear screaming, but not as bad as when she first arrived. She looked about her, it was nighttime, the stars were twinkling above her, surrounding the two moons. She saw Jacob standing not to far away, his hand rested upon the hilt of the Master Sword. Anastriana stood next to him, pointing off into the distance. She spoke of a cavalry going in that direction. Sarah placed her eyes upon Derek.  
  
"Yeah, I' okay, not used to traveling like that I guess." She said to him reassuringly.  
  
Jacob and Anastriana walked back to Sarah and Derek. Anastriana had sheathed her rapier and had shifted the scabbard to the back of her belt.  
  
"A group of riders rode off in that direction with what looked like digging tools." Jacob said, "We're going to follow them." Anastriana looked around, her ears perked as if listening to some distant sound.  
  
"Jacob, we need to go." Anastriana said after a moment.  
  
"Alright." Jacob said. He looked over to Sarah. "Can you do this?"  
  
Sarah nodded.  
  
"Good, I'll need you."  
  
Sarah smiled inside. Perhaps there was hope after all.  
  
The four companions dashed off into the forest, hoping to catch up with the horseback riders.  
  
* * *  
  
After an hour of wandering through the forest, Jacob could see rays of moonlight shining through the trees. He dashed to the nearest opening and peered out. Derek came up behind him, followed by the girls.  
  
There was a vast lake, sparkling in the moonlight, backed by a range of snow-capped mountains. Resting in the middle of the lake was a small island, attached to the shore by a rope bridge. On the shore were the horses, devoid of any riders.  
  
On the island, Jacob could see what he presumed the riders of the horses furiously digging at something. Jacob looked back at the others.  
  
"Okay, we want to know what they're doing, if they attack, we'll retaliate." Jacob started. "Derek, guard the horses, if they try to retreat, stop them. Sarah, set up a vantage point near the bridge, keep an eye out for more, and take care of any threats with your bow. Anastriana, you're with me."  
  
Sarah and Derek nodded, Jacob added, "The signal to attack will be a unsheathed sword."  
  
Jacob, followed by Anastriana, walked to the bridge, the soldiers still unaware of Jacob and Anastriana's presence. Derek crouched next to the horses, hidden from view.  
  
Sarah knelt next to the bridge, "Oh sure," she pulled an arrow from her quiver and set it on the bow, "I've shot a bow before, I'm the best." She pulled the string back and set it ready. "'Cause I'm Sarah."  
  
She paused, then added: "This sucks."  
  
"Excuse me," Jacob stated as he slowly walked forward on the bridge.  
  
There were twelve soldiers; Jacob noticed that all of them were female. All of them were digging, except for one, which was barking demands in a language that sounded like Arabic. She stopped giving orders and looked to Jacob and spoke in a clipped accent.  
  
"What do you want?" came her voice, melodic, yet harsh.  
  
"I'd like to know where it is I am at." Jacob stated, attempting to start a conversation. Anastriana came up behind Jacob. The redheaded soldier eyed Anastriana, and then turned her attention back to Jacob.  
  
The red head looked Jacob up and down, and then she turned her head and cut her eyes to the others and barked something in her language, which obviously frightened them enough to cause them to dig faster.  
  
"Say, what are you looking for?" Anastriana asked to the redheaded soldier, looking over Jacob's shoulder.  
  
"That's none of your concern." The redhead retorted.  
  
"I believe it is." Anastriana ripped out her rapier and pointed it to the redhead's throat. Jacob slammed the blade away, yelling: "NO!" Too late.  
  
Sarah saw the gleam of the blade in the moonlight. Derek ran to Sarah, in a vain effort to stop her. Without hesitation, she let fly the arrow. It flew through the air, hitting its mark with a sickening crunch into the air.  
  
Jacob stared in shock. The other eleven soldiers looked up in the instant as their leader's body sank to its knees, then fell face first into the dirt. They stood up; each one drew out a curved scimitar from sheaths on their backs.  
  
Jacob pulled the scimitar from the dead leader's body and wielded it against the oncoming warriors. Several arrows flew through the air, most soared harmlessly by but two hit their mark into two of the women's chests. Those two warriors fell dead where they stood, the remaining nine that was left rushed Jacob and Anastriana.  
  
* * *  
  
"Derek, what should we do?" Sarah asked as she loaded another arrow onto her bow. Derek knelt next to her.  
  
"We'll go help them." Derek said. Sarah and Derek stood up; Derek dashed across the shore to the bridge and stopped. He watched as Jacob and Anastriana's fluid motions in battle complemented each other. Sarah stopped behind Derek.  
  
"Derek, what's up? Keep going." She urged.  
  
Derek just pointed, and said "Why? It'll be over by the time we get there.  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob twirled the scimitar in deadly arcs about his body. The women lunged at him, only to have their own weapons knocked away. Four attacked Anastriana, who turned the tides when she twirled one's weapon away and landed her heel into the warrior's face. The next fighter brought her curved blade whistling through the air at Anastriana's head. Anastriana duck, and lunged out with her rapier, the smooth blade penetrating the leg, just below the knee, and protruding out of the back.  
  
The warrior howled and fell over; she gripped her leg and screamed in agony.  
  
Jacob had dispatched two of the five attacking him. He had done it rather smoothly. Another attacked him, with a downward strike. He caught her blade, flung it away, then slashed her twice across the stomach, and then turning away, made a reverse lunge, the curved blade slicing through her instead of just stabbing.  
  
The two left against Jacob dove into the water and began to swim for shore. Jacob turned to Anastriana who had just stabbed one on the ground. Another crept up behind her. She stopped and looked at Jacob who took the Master Sword hilt, and flung it across the island, the broken blade impacted into her chest. Anastriana, hearing it, turned around and kicked the blade deeper into her chest.  
  
"Bitch." Anastriana said as the body fell over. She turned to the other body and pulled her rapier out and instantly sheathed it.  
  
Jacob looked away from her to the shore, the two escaped into the woods. He did not care.  
  
Derek and Sarah ran up to them. Sarah immediately hugged Jacob.  
  
"Wow, that was amazing!" she said.  
  
Derek began to say something, he opened his mouth but nothing came out. He cocked his head to the side, listening.  
  
"Derek, what is it?" Jacob said, easing past Sarah.  
  
"That noise..." he said.  
  
"Yeah, I hear it too." Anastriana agreed.  
  
Jacob listened, he tilted his head slightly to try and pick up the sound. He heard it, a faint humming. He looked around and found the source. The Master Sword hilt. It was humming. Jacob walked over and jerked it out of the warrior's chest. The yellow jewel, right above the pommel, glowed brightly.  
  
Anastriana looked at the grotto that had been opened by the soldiers, "Jacob, those Gerudo Guards opened this." Derek looked over into it. "It's dark."  
  
Jacob walked forward, as he neared, the Master Sword's jewel glowed brighter and the humming grew louder.  
  
"Hmm, must be a shard down there. That must be what the sword is trying to tell us." Jacob said to the others.  
  
"I'm going in after it." Jacob told them. "You all stay and keep an eye out."  
  
"Jacob," Sarah ran over to him and embraced him. "Be careful. Please." Jacob kissed her on the neck. Sarah blushed and released him. Jacob went to the grotto and knelt, preparing to jump.  
  
"Jacob," Derek called, "Here, and good luck." He handed Jacob one of the scimitars. Jacob took it and nodded. He took a deep breath, then jumped into the deep darkness.  
  
"I hope he's okay." Anastriana said to herself. She walked to Derek and slid her hand into his.  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob landed on a walkway; it was made of mirrored tile, very beautiful. On either side there ran a small stream, running through it was the clearest water that sparkled with an unearthly glow. Jacob looked into the water, he saw his reflection, it possessed an aura, possibly created by the moonlight. He turned his attention down the walkway. There was an arch that lead into a larger chamber. He began to walk towards the chamber.  
  
"Well, this looks easy enough." 


	13. Chapter Twelve: Mists

I apologize for it taking me so long to post this chapter; I've been really busy. I give credit to my friend Josh for typing this up for me. You can read some if his work on FictionPress.net under the penname Forgotten Hatred and on FanFiction.net under the same name.  
  
CHAPTER TWELVE Mists  
  
As Jacob walked towards the arch, he noticed it began to get colder. His foot tapped against something and it rattled. Jacob looked down and saw a corpse; exposed bones had made the rattling.  
  
"Holy..." Jacob exclaimed. "Thanks, guy, you scared the hell out of me." He leaned down and examined the body. It looked as if it had been there a while. It wore a suit of thin chain mail, meaning it was probably a knight. The corpse had icicles formed off its nose.  
  
Jacob stood back up and walked to the arch. As he neared, he noticed a glimmer around the arch; it was as if a type of energy protected it. On either side of the archway was a stone face, one male, and the other, female. He took a deep breath and reached out a hand to test the field. His hand slid cleanly through. He pulled his hand back and examined it. It looked all right. He then lifted his foot to step through, a male voice called to him.  
  
"Only one with the blade of purity can step through," Jacob turned to see that the male face was looking and speaking to him. He really did not think much of it; he travels through time, why not talking stone? Then, he heard the female voice.  
  
"All others are destined for purgatory." Jacob turned his head and looked to the female face. Her stone eyes fixated to his own, she then turned and rested back into the stone, all life going from her. Jacob watched as the male face did the same.  
  
Jacob looked at the Master Sword hilt, "Well, I suppose that means this sword." He took a deep breath, and stepped through the energy into the next room.  
  
* * *  
  
"Do you think he's okay?" Sarah asked. She sat on the edge of the island, her emerald eyes looking up at the stars.  
  
"He's only been gone five minutes." Derek said. He lay next to the grotto on his back. "I'm sure he's doing fine."  
  
Anastriana stood next to Derek, her eyes looking out to the horizon. "He will be."  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob entered the next chamber. He was on a long flight of stairs that lead down into a large amphitheater style room. The floor, as he could see, was made of a patterned marble. As he neared the bottom of the stairs, he noticed that was about an inch of water on the marble floor. He also took note of the doorway across from the foot of the stairs.  
  
He took a step off the stairs and splashed up water. A heavy mist overtook the room. Jacob looked around, lost.  
  
"Welcome, one who carries the righteous blade."  
  
Jacob looked up and all around, "Who's there!?" Jacob demanded promptly.  
  
Jacob watched in astonishment as the mist began to gather in front of him. He took a step back. The mist began to solidify into a gargantuan form: a dragon.  
  
"I am Mala-Ki, guardian of the water." The dragon's telepathic voice reverberated in Jacob's mind. "Who art thou?"  
  
"I am Jacob Swanson, I've come for the shard of the Master Sword." Jacob looked up at the dragon.  
  
Its massive wingspan engulfed half the amphitheater as he stretched them. The dragon's scales sparkled like ice and its wings were made of mist.  
  
The dragon craned his massive head forward, steam rising from within his maw. His eyes were of the palest blue.  
  
"To get the shard, you must complete my challenge." Mala-Ki, the dragon, spoke.  
  
"And what would that be?" Jacob asked, his grip tightening on the scimitar.  
  
"You must defeat me, and release my spirit." The dragon's old eyes looked Jacob over. "Do you accept?" The dragon reared his head back, anticipating the answer.  
  
Jacob took a deep breath, "and if I fail?"  
  
"Then you will die." Mala-Ki's voice went colder than the air that surrounded Jacob.  
  
"I accept your challenge, Mala-Ki." Jacob said, his voice full of doubt.  
  
"Very well then," the dragon said, he stretched out his misty wings and inhaled deeply, then exhaled."  
  
Jacob hesitated for a moment for a moment, then, in a rush, he lifted the scimitar to his side and ran at Mala-Ki. The dragon reared back its great claw, and then lunged out at Jacob, knocking Jacob to his back.  
  
Jacob got to his feet and began to walk around Mala-Ki. "You're not going to make this easy on me. Are you?"  
  
The dragon snorted. "Not at all."  
  
* * *  
  
"Should we go down there?" Sarah stood at the edge of the grotto. She peered down into the darkness.  
  
"He's okay, trust me." Anastriana said. She still stood on the edge of the island.  
  
Derek put his hand on Sarah's shoulder. "I'm sure he's fine. He's Jacob."  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob landed hard on his back. He had fallen several feet off the dragon's back and now lay facing up at the dragon.  
  
He suddenly rolled to the side as several icicles punctured the ground where he just lay. They stuck in the ground and stayed.  
  
Jacob got to his feet. The dragon landed in front of him. Mala-Ki lowered his head and roared at this tiny creature attacking him. Jacob twirled the scimitar tauntingly.  
  
The creature stepped forward and inhaled deeply. Jacob knew what was coming, the Dragon's ice breath. Jacob ran at the dragon, just as the icy mist left Mala-Ki's mouth. Jacob launched himself into the air, up and over the dragon's head. Jacob landed between the bases of the cold wings and turned around.  
  
He lifted the scimitar over his head as if it were an axe, and brought it down on top of Mala-Ki's head. The blade shattered. Where it was supposed to slice, it just exploded into pieces.  
  
Mala-Ki reached up and plucked Jacob from his back and tossed him aside. Jacob hit the water-covered floor with a thud.  
  
Jacob struggled to his feet. He still held the scimitar handle. He yelled in fury and threw the scimitar hilt at the dragon.  
  
Mala-Ki brought his claw down on top of the handle, smashing it to the ground. The mighty creature roared its loudest. It's steamy breath filling the room.  
  
* * *  
  
Sarah jumped up, "did you hear that, it sounded like a monster. She looked into the grotto. "And it came from down there."  
  
Derek leaned and looked in. The darkness seemed alien to him.  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob struggled to get to his feet. The only weapon left was the master sword, but it was broken. He pulled it from the scabbard and held it in his hand. He looked up at Mala-Ki, who was coming towards him slowly.  
  
"C'mon, human. Give me your best." The dragon stopped right in front of Jacob and brought his nose to Jacob's. Both fighters were out of breath.  
  
Summoning up the remnants of both strength and spirit, Jacob jerked the broken sword across Mala-Ki's snout, instead of shattering more, the mystical metal sliced through the dragon's thick scales.  
  
Mala-Ki jerked back, fury had enveloped him, he swatted the nuisance away. Jacob tumbled across the floor once, twice, three times, and then settled against the wall. He lay there, not moving.  
  
* * *  
  
"You've got to let me go down there, he needs us!" Derek held Sarah back, Anastriana looked to her.  
  
"He's fine. Trust me." Anastriana said.  
  
Sarah cut her eyes sharply to her. "How the hell do you know?"  
  
"I'm Hylian, we have some psychic ability."  
  
Sarah huffed, and mumbled, "yeah, right."  
  
* * *  
  
Mala-Ki eased closer to Jacob's lifeless body. He based his razor fangs. He lowered his head to Jacob's, steam rising form his nostrils. Blood poured from the dragon's snout where the sacred blade had slid through his skin.  
  
Jacob's nose had been bloodied, his body bruise, yet, the grip on the Master Sword was strong.  
  
The dragon lowered his eyes to Jacob. He eyed the unconscious being.  
  
"I guess you weren't the one." The dragon spoke.  
  
It was then that Jacob opened his eyes. He leapt up and slashed out with the master sword. The broken blade wedged itself in the dragon's throat.  
  
Mala-Ki jerked back, roaring in rage. The dragon coughed up blood, exhaled deeply, then collapsed.  
  
Jacob struggled to his feet, and limped over to the dragon's body.  
  
"Farewell Mala-Ki," he looked to the door to the next room. He limped over to it and opened it.  
  
"Oh no." He looked down the flight of stairs. The stairs led down into a round room. In the middle there was a pool, and on the other side of the room was a podium, and floating about the podium was the shard, sparkling with a blue light.  
  
Jacob began limping down the stairs toward the pool. 


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Rain Falls

CHAPTER THIRTEEN Rain Falls  
  
Jacob limped down the stairs; he walked around the pool and came to the podium. The shard hovered over the podium, suspended by nothing but air and magic. It slowly rotated, gleaming in the blue light that shone from above.  
  
Jacob reached out his hand and plucked the shard from the air. The blue light faded as Jacob pulled the shard to him.  
  
He turned around and looked to the pool. It shone with a bright blue light. He then saw the movement underneath the water. He inched closer, and then saw it rose out of the water slowly. It was a woman.  
  
Her smooth skin radiated and sparkled, wet with water. Her skin possessed a blue tint. Her short hair was a dark blue. Her lavender eyes opened and connected with Jacob's. Her body rose out of the water, she was nude, Jacob could see that her body was perfect, her skin was smooth and her curves were right.  
  
She hovered over the water, her eyes traveled up and down Jacob's body.  
  
"Welcome, Gatekeeper," her voice was soft and melodic, soothing to Jacob. "I am the Elemental of Water."  
  
Jacob eased closer to the pool.  
  
"You have obtained the shard of water, I grant my power to you." Before Jacob could speak a question, a symbol appeared on her forehead. It was three horizontal lines, stacked upon each other, each of which was wavy, clearly representing her element. It glowed a bright blue. She lifted her hands over her head, "You can call upon my element by speaking the words, rain falls." Her body vanished. Jacob looked down and saw the shard was gone from his hand. He looked to the Master Sword and saw the new piece was added to the length of the blade.  
  
Jacob suddenly felt renewed; the pain that had plagued him was gone. His nose stopped bleeding and the gash that caused his limp was gone.  
  
Jacob sheathed the Master Sword and looked around. The room had grown darker, the light emanating from the pool had faded.  
  
Jacob took one last look at the podium where the shard had been, and then he turned and ran up the stairs and out of the room.  
  
* * *  
  
The three sat around the grotto, Derek had found a rope, left by the soldiers earlier. He had ready to throw down when Jacob needed it.  
  
Unbeknownst to them that something approached, enveloped in darkness.  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob saw a rope dangling from the grotto entrance. He walked over to it and gave it a hard tug. The rope was secure. Jacob wrapped his hands around the rope and began to climb.  
  
As he neared the exit, he could hear muffled cries, he rushed up the rope, his hands burning. His left hand left the rope and grabbed the edge of the hole; he lifted himself out and was ambushed.  
  
Large callused hands grabbed the neck of Jacob and lifted him into the air. Jacob was a good two feet off the ground. He struggled to free himself, only making his attacker tighten its grip.  
  
"Where is it?" A deep and menacing voice echoed in Jacob's head.  
  
Jacob opened his eyes and looked straight into those burning red orbs, Jacob took a deep breath, "Wh-what are you talking about?"  
  
The larger man shook Jacob violently. "Don't play dumb, where is the shard?"  
  
"I-I don't have it." Jacob lied, trying to dissuade his attacker.  
  
"You lie!" The attacker jerked Jacob towards him, his breath blew into Jacob's face, it was rancid.  
  
"Dude, you have a serious breath problem." Jacob said, smiling. The larger man threw Jacob to the ground with a yell of frustration.  
  
Jacob landed on his back, he cut his eyes over to his companions, they were still breathing, but unconscious. Jacob suddenly felt pressure on his chest. He looked and saw the large boot of the man on his chest.  
  
The man reached down and pulled the Master Sword from Jacob. "Ah, here it is. I should kill you for lying to me."  
  
Jacob struggled to breathe; the man's heavy leg was crushing his lungs. The larger man held the Master Sword close to him, then, he suddenly dropped it and screamed in pain. Jacob watched as the Master Sword landed next to him, then he turned and saw smoke lifted from the man's hand. The Master Sword had burned him.  
  
Jacob reached out for the broken blade. The large man slammed his burnt hand on the sword hilt just out of Jacob's reach. It burned him again.  
  
"Dammit!" He roared. Jacob pulled on the larger man's leg, when that did not work; he drew his hand back, and then unleashed a hellish punch to his knee, dropping the larger man to the ground. As Jacob got up from under the other's boot, he placed his hand on the hilt of the Master Sword, in one fluid motion; he was to his feet, the broken sword in his hand pointed at his attacker.  
  
The larger man stood. "This isn't over, Hero of Time. I will have what I want. We'll meet again." A green light appeared over his body and with a brilliant flash, he was gone.  
  
Jacob hesitated for a moment, and then ran over to Sarah, he cradled her in her arms, Derek had risen to his feet and was next to Anastriana.  
  
Anastriana slowly opened her eyes; her body pained her, the energy blast from that... thing had shocked every muscle and nerve in her body. She looked up at Derek; she suddenly threw her arms around his neck. A single tear escaped and raced down her cheek.  
  
* * *  
  
The four stood side by side upon the isle. Having taken a rest, they were ready. Then Realization struck Derek.  
  
"Uh, Jacob, where's the Chronoscepter?" 


	15. Chapter Fourteen: A Way Across

I'm sorry for keep you all waiting so long, I've had so much crap to do at school, I needed some kind of break as well, I was having relationship problems, then I had freakin' Prom ::throws hands into the air:: AAHHH! I'm getting back to writing this though, and be assured, I won't make you wait that long again. Oh yeah, we're half way through this story, The ending will be as great as the beginning, (maybe better::hint hint::) Well without further ado... here it is...  
  
CHAPTER FOURTEEN A Way Across  
  
Jacob panicked, "Oh God!" He began to look around hysterically. Derek came to him and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Dude, chill, I'm sure we just left it behind somewhere, all we have to do is look." Derek said to him.  
  
Jacob nodded, his mind racing. "Yeah, we'll look." He began walking to the bridge to get back to shore. Derek sighed and motioned for Sarah and Anastriana to follow them.  
  
* * *  
  
Anastriana walked briskly behind Sarah, her hand was laid upon the hilt of her rapier. Her pointed ears twitched in frustration; her mind was on one thing, her heart on the other. After a moment, she shook her head and looked ahead to Derek and Jacob. She perked her ears to catch their conversation.  
  
"Do you think it's around here?" Jacob asked.  
  
"I really don't know." Derek answered, "We just have to keep looking,"  
  
* * *  
  
After a few hours, sweat began to bead on Jacob's brow, the wind blew across the green fields of Hyrule and lightning split the sky.  
  
Jacob stopped and turned around to face his friends. "Guys," he looked to Sarah and mouthed her name softly, "I'm sorry. I should have never brought any of you into this. Jacob felt so inadequate; he could not help but feel responsible for what had happened to them within the last few days. Jacob lowered his head, allowing his long blonde bangs to fall and hide his tears.  
  
Sarah came over to him and tried to hug him, Jacob pulled away. "Don't"  
  
"Jacob, this isn't your fault." Derek said, coming to him as well. Anastriana followed.  
  
"He's right, we got ourselves into this, all of us." Sarah said.  
  
Jacob looked around him, all his friends had surrounded him. He could not help but smile at the thought of them being there for him.  
  
Jacob took a deep breath. "Let's rest for the night."  
  
The four agreed and they walked forth a few miles more until they came to a cave. After making sure it was uninhabited, they entered and made themselves a home for the night.  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob held Sarah close, he brushed a few locks of green hair from her face as she slept, then, he fell to sleep. Jacob laid, wrapped in Sarah's arms. Her head was buried into his shoulder. He slept comfortably, when a voice intruded upon him.  
  
"Gatekeeper, awaken." Jacob's eyes did not open. "Jacob Swanson, Wake up." The voice grew impatient.  
  
Jacob opened his eyes and looked around, his eyes fell upon a ghostly figure in the distance. He slid away from Sarah and sat up and wiped the drowsiness from his eyes.  
  
"Akroma?" His voice was weak from fatigue.  
  
"Yes, I see you have realized you have not the Chronoscepter." She said, walking forward. "Just call upon my guide, Ashla, the Goddess of Time for assistance."  
  
Jacob opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Akroma's ghostly form vanished, leaving no trace.  
  
"Jacob, where'd you go?" A voice called from behind him. "I'm cold."  
  
Jacob turned and saw Sarah, getting up. She had sat up and was about to get to her feet. Jacob rushed over and helped her up.  
  
"We're leaving." Jacob said. Sarah's eyes widened.  
  
"Huh? Has someone spotted us?" She began to look around worriedly.  
  
"No, out of this time." He turned to Derek and Anastriana. "Guys, get up, we're leaving."  
  
Derek began to get up uneasily, followed by Anastriana.  
  
"What? I was having a good dream." Derek said as he stood, picking up his battle axe.  
  
"We're going after to second shard." Jacob said.  
  
The four walked outside and stood before the entrance of the cave.  
  
"Everyone gather over here." Jacob said.  
  
"The four gathered together and stood in a circle. Jacob looked up towards the starry night sky. He threw his hands into the air and cried: "Ashla, Goddess of Time! Please heed our calls. Lend us your power!"  
  
He stood there for a moment, nothing happened. After a few minutes, everyone began to lose hope.  
  
"Well, that was a waste of time..." Jacob said to himself.  
  
"It's okay, it was a good idea." Sarah said. She placed her hand on Jacob's shoulder, then began to walk away towards the cave. Derek followed. Anastriana began to, but she stopped and perked her ears up.  
  
"I hear a storm..." Just as she spoke, a bolt of lightning crashed into the ground before Jacob and Anastriana. They covered their faces as smoke and dust flowed over them.  
  
Jacob pulled his hands away, and as the smoke cleared, the Chronoscepter was before him, protruding from the ground. Jacob walked forward, placed his hands around it and pulled it from the ground.  
  
"Well guys, let's go." He said. Sarah, Anastriana, and Derek walked to him and surrounded him.  
  
Jacob held the Chronoscepter before him, "Lead us to the Master Sword shard!"  
  
As before, a column of light descended upon them, steeled, then vanished, leaving no trace of the travelers behind.  
  
* * *  
  
The vast red land stretched out for miles. Craters pitted the land here and there and in the distance, a volcano, and further still, a line of trees, the beginning of a forest.  
  
A giant reptile, about a car length, lumbered out of on of the craters and walked forward. Then, a group of hunters with spears burst from another crater and with a war cry, rushed towards the great beast, but was stopped short as a swarm of arrows fell upon them, killing them. A group of red headed warriors, perched on a distant hill, had waited in ambush.  
  
The women disappeared behind the hill, just as silently as they had come. As they did, a column of light descended, then faded, leaving the four companions behind.  
  
Derek walked forward, "Well, this looks inviting."  
  
Jacob pointed to the distant. "Looks like a village up there, let's go check it out."  
  
The four began to journey forth. 


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Kakariko Village

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The Hylian language used in this chapter was taken from Kasuto.net. A very good site that has info on Legend of Zelda.  
  
CHAPTER FIFTEEN Kakariko Village  
  
The four companions walked into a group of small huts and tents. Jacob saw a woman washing clothes. He leaned and whispered to the others to stay there. He walked forward, towards the woman; she looked up and took a step back away from him.  
  
"Excuse me, miss..." Jacob said, "I just want to ask you something."  
  
"Bana dukwá nieté!" the woman yelled, she ran into her hut.  
  
Anastriana began to laugh loudly. Jacob turned around to her.  
  
"What's so damn funny?" he said sharply.  
  
"She just said 'fuck you'." Derek and Sarah both chuckled but were silenced by Jacob's hard look.  
  
"If you can speak their language, then why don't you talk to her." Jacob said to Anastriana.  
  
"I'll be glad to." Anastriana walked forward and tapped on the door of the woman's hut. She called inside to her: "Skoshi, tairas taiu jano?"  
  
The woman answered, "Bagu tairas vina." Anastriana asked to woman a question in the strange language, Jacob guessed it was Hylian.  
  
A while passed as Derek, Jacob and Sarah watched Anastriana talk to this old Hylian woman.  
  
Sarah turned to Jacob, "Where do you think we are?"  
  
"About four million years before to formation of the Hylian Hierarchy. Before King Harkinian, the first, ruled." Anastriana answered as she walked back. She then turned to Jacob and Derek, "I'm going to talk to the chief," Anastriana pointed to the woman, "this woman will let us stay with her, just don't cause any trouble."  
  
"Thanks," Jacob said.  
  
"I'm off," Anastriana walked between Jacob and Derek, her hand brushing against Derek's, and holding it for a split second before she walked away. "Bye," she whispered to him.  
  
* * *  
  
The hut was small, it consisted of two rooms, a living room/bedroom and a kitchen. It was built from rough bricks, with a roof of twigs and straw. A fire was going in the center of the living room. Sarah sat in the corner, reading, well, rather looking, through a book that the woman had.  
  
Derek and Jacob sat in the den, talking to one another.  
  
"So, what's going on between you and Anastriana?" Jacob asked. Sarah's eyes momentarily drifted from the book to look in their direction.  
  
"I'm not really sure." Derek said, he readjusted the axe hanging from his belt. "I'd like to know myself."  
  
"I personally think she has a crush on you." Jacob said, "Although she has to be at least a good three to four years older than you."  
  
Derek nodded, and then turned to Sarah, "What do you think?"  
  
"Oh, me?" she started, "I really don't know, maybe." She went back to her book.  
  
Derek had a silent chuckle, and then he turned back to Jacob and shrugged.  
  
* * *  
  
Anastriana walked out of the tent of the chief and looked around, her rapier dangled by her side as she walked.  
  
The chief had given her useful information on the village and a clue about where a Master Sword shard could be hidden. She began the journey to the old woman's hut, where Sarah, Derek and Jacob awaited her return.  
  
* * *  
  
Derek lay against to wall, his head facing the roof. He let out a long sigh and pursed his lips together as he was thinking.  
  
Anastriana opened the door and walked in.  
  
"Well, I have something," she said. Derek looked to her immediately.  
  
"Really?" Jacob said.  
  
"Yeah," she answered. Jacob and the others gathered around Anastriana. "Okay, this village is Kakariko, a stronghold of Hylians and Sheikah against the Gerudo."  
  
"Anything about the shard?" Sarah asked.  
  
"Well, there have been sightings of a dragon on a nearby volcano." Anastriana stated.  
  
"All right." Jacob said, "Derek and I will go and see."  
  
"It's north of here, the volcano is called Montiana Necrolis, the Mountain of Death."  
  
"Well, that's reassuring." Derek said.  
  
"We'll rest here the night, then Derek and I will leave in the morning." Jacob said.  
  
Later that afternoon, Sarah had already lain down to rest, her head rested on Jacob's lap. It was later that the others decided to doze off.  
  
* * *  
  
"Derek, wake up." A whisper came to Derek, he slowly opened his eyes and looked over to Jacob as he sheathed the Master Sword and put the scabbard on his belt.  
  
"What is it?" Derek asked.  
  
"We're leaving." Derek sat up and checked his axe.  
  
"Aren't we going to wake the girls?" Derek asked as he stood with Jacob.  
  
"No, I left a note." Jacob and Derek snuck out of the hut and began their journey to the second shard of the Master Sword.  
  
"Well, here we go."  
  
* * *  
  
Sarah awoke to the quietness of the hut. She rolled over and reached for Jacob, but instead her hand lay upon a piece of parchment. She opened her eyes and picked the note up and read it.  
  
Dear Sarah and Anastriana,  
  
Derek and I have went to the mountain for the shard, we will return safely, we promise.  
  
Jacob and Derek  
  
Sarah rolled over to Anastriana to try and wake her.  
  
"Anna, wake up," she spoke softly.  
  
Anastriana woke up and looked over to her, blowing a few strands of her dark hair from her face. "What is it?"  
  
"The boys are gone." 


	17. Chapter Sixteen: The Fire Shrine

Author's Note: I've noticed that I've been slacking off on these later chapters so I haven't been getting all the detail I've wanted so I'm buckling down on this and getting back to the way it was in the beginning, so here it is:  
  
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: The Fire Shrine  
  
After a few hours of journeying, the volcano could be seen on the horizon. A ring of smoke drifted above the high crater, and ash and dried lava was piled around the base of the mountain.  
  
"Is that it?" Derek asked.  
  
"I think so." Jacob replied. He squinted his eyes as he placed his hand around the hilt of the Master Sword. "I think I see a cave." Jacob sprinted towards it.  
  
Derek dashed after Jacob, his hand fast on the pommel of the axe.  
  
* * *  
  
"I can't believe this. I knew they'd leave us." Sarah was putting the quiver of arrows on her book. "But to not wake us up to tell us..."  
  
"Don't worry about it, Sarah." Anastriana said.  
  
It was then a cry was heard outside, Anastriana, closest to the door, looked out. She instantly saw a group of Hylian and Sheikah warriors intercept a larger group of red0-headed women welding scimitars.  
  
"C'mon, sister, we're under attack," Anastriana said, "We're needed."  
  
"All right, I'm ready," Sarah said as she took up her bow. Anastriana and Sarah both went out into the building heat of the battle.  
  
* * *  
  
"God almighty." Derek looked down the flight of stairs he and Jacob was about to transverse.  
  
"Oh, this is nothing, you should see the guardian." Jacob said softly.  
  
"The stairs alone should be the guardian." Derek said, laughing.  
  
"Yeah," Jacob said as they both walked down the stairs.  
  
The stairs seemed endless. As they walked further, the atmosphere became smokier, and Jacob could see a soft red glow in the distance.  
  
Jacob pointed, " I think we're almost there." The temperature around them increased, sweat beaded on Derek and Jacob's brow.  
  
"Damn, it's hot." Derek wiped the sweat away from his forehead. They neared the bottom of the stairs and stopped. "Oh no." Derek said. The stairs lead off onto a rope and plank bridge. The bridge was suspended over the crater filled with molten rock. It led into a cave on the other side of the crater.  
  
"Derek, you go first, I'll follow." Jacob said.  
  
"No, I saw this movie, the black dude dies first." Derek retorted, "You go first." Jacob rolled his eyes and walked ahead. He cautiously stepped on the bridge; it swayed slightly. Jacob gripped to rope and held on as he walked. Derek followed closely behind, holding on as well.  
  
"They didn't want anyone getting to this, did they?" Derek said. He followed closely to Jacob. They reached the middle of the bridge. It began to sway slightly; both men grabbed the hand support.  
  
"Heh," Jacob smiled nervously, "that was fun." Jacob looked back to Derek, who shot him an evil glare. "What?"  
  
They crept across the bridge. "We're almost there." Jacob said. Jacob sprinted the last five feet of bridge, followed by Derek. The cave went straight ahead into the rock. Jacob unsheathed the Master Sword's broken blade and stepped forward. The cave was dark and had a musty smell, more like decay.  
  
Jacob took a couple of steps forward, and as soon as he set his foot against the stone ground, two torches lit, one on either side of him. The fire burned an unnatural blue color. Derek looked at the fire, then stepped in place behind Jacob and stayed in step with him.  
  
Another couple of steps, another set of braziers. It continued until ten sets of torches burned behind them.  
  
Jacob walked forward; he motioned for Derek to remain where he was. After Jacob walked forward, he noticed no sets of torches lit themselves around him. He looked around and suddenly, from the tenth set of flames, a large ring of torches lit around Jacob. He was in the center of a ring of blue fire. Beyond the ring, a pool of lava was illuminated. Derek ran forward and stood with Jacob, his axe fast in his hand.  
  
In the lava before them, a pair of leathery wings rose from the pool of molten magma. Followed by a long spiked tail that glowed as brightly as the lava. The body attached to the wings followed, snake-like, with no visible limbs. It also glowed. The head rose, it was similar to a snake's head. The eyes were yellow with vertical slits as pupils. A forked tongue flicked out towards the pair. Derek's mouth dropped open.  
  
"Told you you'd like the guardian," Jacob said. Derek let out a deep breath he had been holding. "Don't' worry."  
  
"Easy for you to say."  
  
The dragon flapped its monstrous wings and lifted itself from the lava. It flew forward and placed itself before Jacob and Derek. As it landed, it coiled itself around.  
  
"Welcome, humans." The dragon spoke. "I am Daloch, Guardian of Fire."  
  
"I am Jacob Swanson, and I've come for the shard of the Master Sword." Jacob stepped forward, then motioned to Derek, "this is Derek Noble."  
  
"Very well then," Daloch said, "Prepare yourself. The dragon flapped its gargantuan wings and lifted it self from its coils and rose into the air. Jacob held the Master Sword tightly in his hands as h ran forward to engage Daloch. Derek stepped back; fear paralyzed his muscles. The dragon inhaled, his snake-like eyes locked on Derek. Jacob saw this and turned around and ran for Derek. The dragon shot a stream of boiling magma from his mouth, Jacob tackled Derek and knocked both him and Derek out of the stream of lava.  
  
Derek looked up at Jacob, "Sorry." Jacob did not respond, he helped Derek up and walked back over to Daloch. He readied the Master Sword. Derek readied his axe and was ready to fight.  
  
Daloch swung his tail around and contacted with Jacob, sending him sprawling to the ground. Daloch pounced from the air and coiled himself around Jacob, his hand loosened its grip on the Master Sword, which plummeted from his grip and clattered on the stone ground.  
  
Derek ran forward and began hacking at the dragon's coils. The axe bit at the dragon's fiery scales, but to no avail. The dragon ignored it.  
  
"The Master Sword!" Jacob yelled, the breath being squeezed from him. "Use the Master Sword!"  
  
Derek threw down his axe and grabbed the Master Sword's hilt. He brought his whole body around and swung the broken blade in full force. The Master Sword's broken blade slid through the dragon's scales. Lava-like blood spurted forth from the wound. Daloch roared in fury, he uncoiled from Jacob and using his tail, threw him aside.  
  
Daloch used his head as a battering ram and knocked Derek away. The Master Sword escaped his clutch and skidded across the floor, right to Jacob's feet.  
  
"Rain falls..." The words of the water elemental echoed in Jacob's thoughts. If only he could understand what it meant. He opened his eyes and watched as Daloch came up to Derek, then it dawned on him, the Master Sword can channel energy.  
  
Jacob stood uneasily, the Master Sword swept into his hand. "Daloch!" Jacob yelled. Daloch turned around and looked at Jacob, and began to chuckle.  
  
"Give it up, human." Daloch said. "You can't beat me." Jacob pointed the blade of the Master Sword at him. "That's where you're wrong," Jacob retorted.  
  
"Rain falls!" Jacob cried, the Master Sword lit up with a blue energy, and before him, a ghostly form of the Water Elemental appeared. The apparition raised one hand out to Daloch and from it shot an icy blast. Daloch attempted to shield himself from the blast, but it was to no protection. The dragon was frozen, the Elemental vanished and Jacob stood there, the sword still pointed at Dalcoh's frozen shape.  
  
Derek rose to his feet and limped over Jacob. "That was close."  
  
Both jumped as the creature burst into flames. In an instant, a block of ice was a pile of smoldering ashes.  
  
"Whoa." Jacob said. Both boys eased forward. Out of the ashes rose a human form, it was a woman.  
  
"Stay here." Jacob said to Derek as he walked forward.  
  
The woman was nude, but her entire body was covered in red and black mosaic designs. Her hair was a bright red, highlighted with black.  
  
"Welcome, Jacob." She said, her voice was soft, yet confident. "And Derek." Jacob motioned for Derek, who limped over.  
  
"I am the Elemental of Fire." She said. "By giving this to you, I add my power to yours." A shard appeared before Jacob suspended in a red light. Jacob reached out and took it. The shard vanished from his hand and appeared affixed to the blade of the Master Sword. "I will ease your pains."  
  
""Thank you." Jacob said. He sheathed the Master Sword. His aching body eased, and Derek's leg was lame no more.  
  
"The fire burns." The girl said, and then she vanished.  
  
"Let's get back to the girls." Derek said. Jacob only nodded, he stared at the ashes that were once Daloch. Derek picked up his axe and walked out. Jacob hesitated for a moment, then followed. 


	18. Chapther Seventeen: Another Passing

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Another Passing  
  
Smoke could be seen over the horizon. Derek and Jacob ran forward, fearing the worst. Nothing could prepare them for this.  
  
As they neared Kakariko Village, Sarah ran towards them, fire and destruction her backdrop. She was sobbing uncontrollably. She was limping; her leather outfit was torn in several places. She ran into Jacob's arms and began to sob onto his shoulder.  
  
"What happened?" Jacob asked.  
  
"The Gerudo attacked, they killed most of the Hylians." She said in between sobs. Derek stepped forward.  
  
"Where's Anastriana?" Derek asked, fearful of the answer.  
  
Sarah sobbed more. "They took her."  
  
Derek looked to her. "Which way did they go?"  
  
"South."  
  
Derek ran off, Jacob cried to him but it was to no avail. Derek jumped up onto a horse and rode past a group of Sheikah putting out fires.  
  
"Stay here, I'll be back." He yelled to Jacob and Sarah. He kicked the horse to go faster and rode hard into the desert.  
  
"C'mon, let's get you laying down," Jacob said to Sarah as it looked at the gash across her stomach. He carried her into one of the tents nearby and laid her down on a cot. He looked at the tattoo on her stomach and noticed for the first time that it was similar to the Kokiri symbol. He let it go for now and went to examining her cut.  
  
* * *  
  
The sun had already begun to set as Derek's tanned steed raced off. He could barely see for the sun and the tears in his eyes. He could only imagine what had happened to her.  
  
The stone mesas and rocky terrain raced past in a blur, it had been almost an hour since he left the village. On the horizon Derek could see a woman walking. He pressed his horse faster and came up on the woman. She cut her eyes over to him, but continued to walk forward. Derek brought his steed to walk at pace with the woman, she wore a cape and cowl over an off- white tunic and pants. Her hood was set back on her head, showing her red hair and small ears.  
  
"Excuse me?" Derek said. The woman turned her head and answered in rough English. "What?"  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob and Sarah lay in a spoon position on the cot. Jacob had his am over Sarah's waist. In Jacob's mind, a dream of Sarah, she stood before him, her arms outstretched towards him. He ran forth, but as he neared., her black highlights stretched and her green hair was black. Black raven's wings stretched from her back and stretched out. Jacob stopped; her hands came close to her chest, as if to hold an invisible weapon. Then, as if to remedy it, a wooden shaft appeared in her hands, and from the top sprang a giant scythe blade, shining in the unseen moon's light.  
  
Jacob stepped back, the winged being arched the scythe over her head, then, smiling devilishly, brought it crashing down on Jacob's head.  
  
Jacob's eyes opened, he looked around, Sarah was still next to him, curled in a ball, Jacob smiled, and then closed his eyes again.  
  
* * *  
  
Derek crouched on a ledge above the Gerudo camp, the sun had set and night crept forward. A chill ran through the air.  
  
He watched the camp as he slipped off his armour; he wanted stealth in the mission. He slipped his axe onto his belt then began to climb down the ledge. The sharp rocks bit into his palms as his clambered down.  
  
His feet finally touched ground, and in that same instant he dropped into a prone position. He surveyed his surroundings and the camp.  
  
The encampment was not much; small dome tents and huts surrounding a large pit fire. Several troops surrounded the fire; all of them were female. Derek eased closer, staying low in a prone position. As he neared the camp, a large male came out of the largest hut. He had green tinted skin and flaming red hair. Derek stopped and listened as he barked orders to the ones sitting around the camp. The women immediately jumped up and listened intently. He spoke in a strange language. The women ran off, obeying whatever orders the male had given them. The larger male mounted a large black steed and rode off and Derek eased closer yet again, as he neared this time, faint screams reached his ears. He followed the wails until he came to a hut annexed from the rest. He peered around the edge to witness a couple of redheads leave.  
  
Derek raised his axe and etched a hole into the hut, then kicked it in and stepped through.  
  
Anastriana was there, bruised and beaten and bleeding. She was shackled to the hard ground. Derek rushed over to her, lifting the axe, he severed the chains that held her to the dirt. He then dropped the axe and lifted her into his lap as he knelt down next to her.  
  
Her eyes slowly peeled open, her iced gaze met his.  
  
"Derek?" she said weakly.  
  
"I'm here." Derek said, he held her close, he could feel her muscles tense up as she struggled for breath.  
  
"I'm sorry." Anastriana said.  
  
"For what?" Derek whispered.  
  
"For what I did. I never really wanted to hurt you. I was... just... afraid."  
  
"Don't worry about it, I'm going to get you out of here." Derek said. He attempted to lift her but she stopped him.  
  
"Don't ." She urged, "Just know that..." her breath was beginning to shorten. "...I love..." Her eyes clouded and she fell limp in Derek's arms, her last breath escaping her body.  
  
Tears welled up in Derek's eyes but were squinted away. "I love you." He said through clenched teeth. Then a shadow fell upon his face, sadness and depression was replaced with anger and rage. His eyes looked to the hut's exit, darkness filled his eyes, hatred, ferocity, all filled him.  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob sat up, he watched as the orange sky surrounded a beautiful Hylian sunrise.  
  
"Well, it's not home, but it is still beautiful." He mused to himself. On the horizon though, Jacob spotted a trail of dust, upon closer look, it was someone on horseback. Derek.  
  
Jacob ran towards him but stopped as he noticed that Derek was not slowing. Sarah ran up and pulled Jacob aside as Derek's horse sped past.  
  
Jacob and Sarah watched as Derek pulled to a stop. He jumped off the horse, his bloodied axe hung from his belt. He lifted a large bundle from the horse's back and lifted into his arms and carried it inside.  
  
"I'll go talk to him." Sarah said as she walked forward. She ran to the entrance and stopped. She saw Anastriana's body lying there, Derek sobbing in the corner, a bloody axe by his side along with Anastriana's rapier; also bloodied.  
  
"Derek." Sarah said quietly. Derek looked up; his reddened eyes gave way to his depression and fatigue. "Are you okay?"  
  
Derek shook his head. Sarah walked over to him and knelt in front of him. "What happened?"  
  
"They killed her." He said inaudibly.  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
Derek shook his head again. He looked at the bloodied weapons, "I killed them. All of them." He sniffed. "I'm a murderer." Sarah wrapped him in a warm embrace as he broke into more sobs.  
  
* * *  
  
Sarah Garrison, Derek Noble and Jacob Swanson stood side by side, many of the surviving Hylians stood behind them. They stood before a freshly dug grave and a headstone, mourning Anastriana's passing.  
  
Derek walked forward, the axe and rapier tucked in his belt, now adorned in his armour again. He knelt and placed a bouquet of Hylian Lotus on top of the grave.  
  
"You were a great warrior, you fought bravely, you helped us when we needed it. May you succeed further." Derek said quietly. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you." He stood and stepped back to fall into rank with his companions. Then, four Hylians stepped forward and commenced in giving their Prayer.  
  
"May Nayru give you wisdom to find your way through."  
  
"May Farore give you Courage to push forward."  
  
"May Din give you power to succeed."  
  
"May the Goddesses watch over you and lead you to the Fields."  
  
Jacob turned to Derek and took his hand into his own and held it palm up and in it he placed Anastriana's Triforce pendant in his palm and closed Derek's fist around it. "You can have it to remember her by." Derek looked away as one last tear ran down his cheek.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
* * *  
  
Derek watched as Jacob held the Chronoscepter before him, calling for Ashla's power.  
  
The familiar blue light surrounded the three journeyers. Derek watched as the blue tinted surroundings slowly disintegrated, after that it was black. Derek looked down and gasped at what was rushing up to meet him.  
  
They were falling into an ocean. 


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Headstone Island

Sorry it's taken me so long to update because of school and other things, but here is Chapter Eighteen. This chapter is based on the game, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, but don't worry, There aren't any major spoilers in it.  
  
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Headstone Island  
  
Sarah opened her mouth and inhaled deeply, only to suck in a mouthful of sand. She coughed and sat up suddenly. A sharp pain shot through her back and she fell back upon the sand. She caught a glimpse of a young boy and girl running towards her then she blacked out again.  
  
* * *  
  
"Found...beach...hours ago..." Sarah's eyes began to flutter open. She tilted her head and looked to the short old woman that was tending to a small cut on Sarah's leg.  
  
"Ugh, where's Derek and Jacob?" She mumbled.  
  
"You were all alone." The blonde girl said, coming from behind the old woman. "My brother brought you here."  
  
At that moment, a teenage boy came down the ladder from the top floor and walked over to her. "Hi, my name is Link." Sarah did not pay the boy mind, she hobbled off the bed and pushed through the children and their grandmother. She went out side and limped to the shore. She was on an island. A few houses spotted the island I front of the beach, backed by a tall mountain. Her eyes searched the horizon; only small specks that were islands could be seen.  
  
Her head dropped and she turned and hobbled back towards the house. The little girl met Sarah at the door.  
  
"Sorry." She said to the taller female.  
  
" 'S okay." Sarah mumbled. She walked to the bed and plopped, she turned and stared out the window to the horizon, the thoughts of Jacob and Derek danced around her mind.  
  
* * *  
  
In a tavern elsewhere, a tall glass full of a dark red liquid, surrounded by other empty glasses. A strong hand grabbed the glass. Derek lifted the liquid to his lips and drank. His eyes squinted at the taste. Anastriana stood in front of him in his mind, then she vanished, as if she was nothing more than a will-o-the-wisp.  
  
He had awakened a few hours ago and explored the town, asking around he had discovered the name of the island was Windfall. Derek looked around the tavern and watched as a bird-like humanoid entered. The bird walked up to Derek and sat down.  
  
"I found them." He said.  
  
* * *  
  
A barred entry was the only thing Jacob could see. The pig-like Moblin guards had found him marooned and imprisoned him. The Master Sword rested in its sheath next to a sleeping guard. The hilt was just out of his reach.  
  
Jacob sighed, wondering what had become of Sarah and Derek.  
  
Jacob had also seen their leader, a green skinned Gerudo, named... Jacob had trouble recalling the name, but he was sure it started with a g.  
  
Jacob sat up in the corner of the room, his eyes fixed on the sleeping guard. He then sighed and closed his eyes. His blonde hair hid everything from view as his head tilted downward.  
  
* * *  
  
Sarah stood atop the mountain, she wore a green tunic and brown pants. Her leather outfit was torn beyond repair. She had her bow on her shoulder and a quiver of silver-feathered arrows on her back.  
  
The wind ruffled her green and black hair; her blonde roots were beginning to show. She stared at the horizon, watching for any signs of either of her companions. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she thought of what could have happened to them. She could not continue the quest on her own; she did not even have the Master Sword.  
  
"Grandmother said that food is ready."  
  
Sarah turned around to see the young girl, Aryll, talking to her.  
  
"I'm not hungry." Sarah said, she then turned back around, and that is when she spotted it, a small sailboat coming to the shore. She instantly turned and started running down the trail. Aryll came after her.  
  
As she neared the bottom of the trail, she heard a noise behind her, she turned to see that Aryll had fallen. She ran back and lifted the girl up and, carrying her, continued running down the trail. She dodged through trees, holding Aryll tightly as to not let her fall.  
  
When she reached the beach, she set Aryll down and ran directly into Derek's arms.  
  
"Oh, Derek, I thought you were gone." She then stopped and stepped back.. "Oh, God, where's Jacob? ... Is he? ..." tears welled up in her eyes.  
  
"No, no." Derek said as he stepped forward. "He's okay, I hope. We have to go and get him."  
  
"Well, let's go!" Sarah said, she began to walk to the boat, and then she stopped and turned around. "Hold on, I'll be right back."  
  
* * *  
  
"Ugh, just a little more..." Jacob winced as he squeezed his arm through the bars of cell. He finally drew his arm back, he had become frustrated the first hour. He gritted his teeth and pounded the cell bars, one good hard time. "AARRRGH."  
  
The noise had disturbed the sleeping Moblin, he shifted, and his arm inadvertently hit the Master Sword, causing it to fall. Jacob lifted his eyebrow at this. "Well, someone should a lesson from this..." He reached out and laid his hand firmly on the hilt. He slid it out of the sheath and reared it back...  
  
* * *  
  
Sarah walked out of the house; she had changed from the green tunic into a new leather outfit. It was a v-neck tank top that stopped just above her belly button, showing her tattoo. She wore leather pants and gauntlets that had the fingers cut mid-way. Quiver on her back and bow on her shoulder. She turned and waved to the family that had nurtured to health. She turned and walked to Derek. Derek still wore the armor that was given to him by Akroma, only exception was that his undershirt was gone, showing his ebon skin. His axe hung from his belt and Anastriana's Triforce pendant hung from his neck.  
  
"I'm ready." She said. Both Derek and Sarah boarded the small vessel and shoved off.  
  
* * *  
  
After a few hours on the sea, Sarah was hunched over the side, watching her reflection deform and mutate due to the waves and ripples rushing past.  
  
"You okay?" Derek asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." She lied, inside she worried, what if they are too late? She'd never get to tell Jacob how she felt, truth is, she was in love with him, ever since they started this fantastic quest, she's grown closer to him. That's when she decided when she saw him, she would tell him, if she sees him...  
  
"There it is, on the horizon." Sarah looked up and saw an imposing tower with cannons and searchlights. The sun had already set, it wsa dark and that helped their approach.  
  
As they neared the Forbidden Fortress, an alarm was heard.  
  
"Do they know we're here?" Sarah asked.  
  
"No, think about who they have..." Sarah smiled then looked up.  
  
"Look!" she pointed. Derek followed her finger and saw a silhouette on a bridge suspended over the Great Sea. The full moon provided a beautiful backdrop to a slashing figure, hacking through Moblins.  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob slashed through a Moblin's stomach with the half-blade of the Master Sword. Another Moblin came at Jacob, lunging with a spear. Jacob knocked the spear aside with the sword, then wedged the sword into the Moblin's chest.  
  
"Jacob!" Sarah cried.  
  
Jacob looked down and saw Sarah and Derek in a boat. Jacob pulled the sword from the Moblin's chest, sheathed it, and without a second though, dove into the water below.  
  
Jacob surfaced and swam to the boat. Derek and Sarah pulled him in. Sarah brushed Jacob's hair back from his face, then placed a kiss firmly on his lips.  
  
Derek looked away, he drew his attention to the compass, then set the sail and tehn slowly took off.  
  
Sarah withdrew and smiled.  
  
"Nice to see you too." Jacob said.  
  
* * *  
  
"Headstone Island," Derek said, "Home of the Earth Elemental." The boat slid up onto the shore. All three companions climbed out of the boat. Jacob pulled a string off of Sarah's outfit and used it to tie back his blonde hair.  
  
"What are you doing?" Sarah asked.  
  
"Nuttin' " Jacob said. Sarah shook her head.  
  
They walked into the Temple. A large room, the only exit was blocked by a pile of rubble. Jacob walked forward, inspecting the rubble. "Well, this isn't moving." Jacob looked around more, and found another way. A tunnel, running perpendicular to the blocked exit. "Aha."  
  
Sarah knelt down and looked in it. "Are you sure about this?"  
  
Jacob looked ot Derek, who gave him his patented 'yeah right' smile. "Nope." 


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Earth Elemental

CHAPTER NINETEEN Earth Elemental  
  
The small tunnel was muddy, damp, and smelled of musk. Jacob led the way, Sarah followed, and Derek brought up the rear.  
  
"Ugh, this is so nasty." Sarah complained.  
  
"I thought you were over your little girly-girl thing." Derek called to Sarah's rear.  
  
"Eh," she shrugged.  
  
"Oh, I can see light." Jacob said to the others. After crawling further, they emerged into a large circular room. In the room, four raised tiles were in a row in from of a gated door. Either side of the room was lined with large jars.  
  
"Okay, a puzzle..." Jacob stepped up and onto a raised tile; it sank with his weight and clicked. "It's a pressure switch, probably a certain combination of these opens the door." He looked around. "Sarah, come stand on this one." He pointed to the switch next to him.  
  
Sarah complied. She walked to the tile and stepped upon it. Nothing. Jacob's face contorted in frustration.  
  
"Hey, these jars are filled with water." Derek called to Sarah and Jacob. Jacob looked around at the jars.  
  
"Place one of those," pointing to the jars, "on each tile." Jacob said. Sarah, Jacob, and Derek each walked over to the jars. Derek lifted one easily and walked it over and set it on a pressure tile. The tile sank down and set even with the ground. Sarah struggled to lift the heavy jar. Jacob walked up and lifted it with her. They both walked the jar over to a tile. By the time Sarah and Jacob had brought the jar, Derek already had a second one on a second tile.  
  
"All right, last one." Derek said as he set the fourth down. At that point, the steel grate slid up revealing the door. Derek walked towards it; Sarah and Jacob joined hands and followed.  
  
They stepped through the door, into an empty round room, on the other end were three armoured knights standing before the exit, another barred door. The knight in the middle held a broadsword vertically before him, as the others held double-sided axes. All three lowered their weapons and began to walk forward.  
  
"Damn it." Jacob muttered. He drew out the half-bladed Master Sword; it shone in the unnatural light of the room. Derek took the battleaxe from his belt; Sarah pulled an arrow from her quiver, notched it into her bow and took aim.  
  
"I got the middle one." Jacob said. He walked forward calmly, his eyes fixed on the blade of his opponent.  
  
Sarah began firing arrows at the knight. The arrows bounced harmlessly off the armour of the monster.  
  
Derek and his opponent swung their axes at each other.  
  
Jacob dove beneath the legs of the ironclad knight and, coming up behind him, drove the Master Sword's blade deep into his back. The knight had been struck. Jacob ran at Derek's opponent just as Derek stepped back. Using his momentum, Jacob ran up the knight's chest and kicked him, knocking him down. Derek came in with an overhead swing to the chest.  
  
"Help!" Derek and Jacob turned to see Sarah cornered by the Iron Knuckle.  
  
They both ran to help her. Jacob planted his foot in the beasts face as Derek swept its legs out from underneath it. As soon as the creature fell, Sarah stood upon its chest and, notching her last arrow, shot it in the neck.  
  
"Bitch." Sarah muttered in her girly attitude.  
  
The grate over the second door lifted and they journeyed forth into the darkness.  
  
* * *  
  
The next room was a long, wide corridor. A dirt path led forth from the door and continued and was lined on either side by a dark forest.  
  
"Only the Gatekeeper may face me." A loud and booming voice said. Just at that moment, vines shot from the ground and wrapped around Sarah and Derek's limbs, and pinned them to the wall.  
  
Jacob watched as the ground rose, and burst, giving way to the Earth Guardian.  
  
The creature was less than Jacob had imagined, a wing-less dragon, snake- like in appearance. The scales were like the bark from a tree. The creature's tail was like a tree's vines. His head was like a snake, long and slender.  
  
Derek struggled against his restraints, only to find them to be tighter. Sarah grunted in frustration. "Sarah, don't fight it, it only gets worse."  
  
* * *  
  
"Hello Gatekeeper, I am Zaxknol, Guardian of the Earth." The dragon said. "We may start now."  
  
Jacob held the Master Sword in front of him. The giant snake-like dragon slithered forward, hell-bent on destroying the young hero. Jacob closed his eyes and put his hands in front of his face and braced himself for the impact, but none came, he opened his eyes and looked to find no monster.  
  
"He vanished!" Sarah cried to Jacob. Jacob's eyes searched all around him, when he found nothing, the ground beneath him began to rumble, it rose into the air then burst open, throwing Jacob to the side. The giant dragon slithered out of the ground and toward Jacob again. Jacob leapt off his back and onto his feet. He reared back the blade, and as the Earth Guardian neared, Jacob released the force in his arms and slung the Master Sword.  
  
Jacob winced as he expected to hit the dragon in the face, but the sword had sliced harmlessly through the air.  
  
"I know what's in your heart, Gatekeeper." Zaxknol's voice echoed in Jacob's mind, "I know what you fear..."  
  
Jacob watched as the forest and trail vanished from around him, he found himself amidst a massive battle in a muddy field, in the courtyard of a massive castle. He saw enemies of every-kind, fighting the small army of the Hylians; he raised his sword and began to fight, then he turned to see Derek, in the middle, fighting. Derek gutted one Gerudo, then turned to cut down another. Jacob watched in horror as Derek caught a Gerudo blade in his back. He fell, Jacob ran to him, but was cut off by Sarah.  
  
"We've got to pull back to the keep." Sarah turned and fired off an arrow. Jacob turned around to run, but stopped when he heard Sarah scream. He turned to see that she had an arrow in her leg. He began to run to her, but before he got to her, it was too late. An Iron Knuckle ran in, and brought its axe down on her chest. Jacob crawled over to her just as the Iron Knuckle withdrew its weapon. His sobbing drowned out the clashing of weapons and shields.  
  
* * *  
  
"What's wrong with him?" Sarah asked, still struggling to free herself. She had watched as Jacob dropped the Master Sword, dropped to his knees and began bawling.  
  
"I don't know." Derek said. He then began yelling to him, "JACOB! JACOB!"  
  
* * *  
  
Jacob thought he heard his name yelled, but muffled. He looked all across the battlefield, but his gaze fell yet upon Sarah's broken body. His gaze lifted to the mighty Iron Knuckle gazing right back at him.  
  
Jacob looked away to the Master Sword's half-blade, and noticed something odd.  
  
The mirror-shine did not reflect the dreary sky, or the Iron Knuckle; instead it showed green forests and a mighty dragon.  
  
He placed his hand on the hilt and looked up at the "Iron Knuckle".  
  
"I won't be a slave to your illusions anymore!" He jerked the Master Sword across the face of the "Iron Knuckle", who then shattered, revealing the dragon, gashed across his face.  
  
The whole battle scene shattered as if it were glass, the tall trees and green grass was revealed.  
  
"Fire burns!" Jacob cried, pointing the Master Sword as Zaxknol, the ghostly image of the Fire Elemental appeared, followed by a wave of fire.  
  
After the fire subsided, the Earth Guardian was collapsed on the ground; burns ate at his flesh. Jacob walked over to him and knelt down to him.  
  
"You are truly...the one..." he spoke softly, "Now, you must finish it...to continue."  
  
"I understand." Jacob said calmly. He stood and arced the Master Sword over his head.  
  
"Good bye." Jacob brought then blade down and through Zaxknol's throat. The dragon's expired body caught the wind and blew across the field as if it were made of leaves.  
  
The vines that held Derek and Sarah released their grip and vanished. Sarah ran up to Jacob, just as he sheathed the Master Sword. Derek followed; the three followed the dirt path into the forest. They came to the door and entered it.  
  
In front of them was a giant red rose that looked as if it had yet to bloom.  
  
"Stay here." Jacob said to the others. He walked forward. The large rose opened, revealing an ebon skinned woman wearing a small robe that covered only her breasts and draped down just below her waist. Her dark hair hung from underneath her hood.  
  
Jacob walked to her and bowed his head. "Elemental of the Earth, I've come to receive the shard of the Master Sword and your power."  
  
The ebony woman stepped down from the flower and walked to Jacob. Jacob lifted his gaze and looked into her bright leaf green eyes.  
  
"My power is yours." She said in a soft voice. She kissed Jacob lightly on the forehead, then vanished, her voice echoed in Jacob's mind, "Earth quakes..."  
  
"I think she wants you." Sarah said, she then started laughing. Jacob rolled his eyes and walked out. "Hey! Wait up!" She cried as Derek and she followed.  
  
* * *  
  
Sarah held out the Chronoscepter before her. She had begged Jacob to let her do it. He reluctantly gave in, now the blue beam engulfed them and their surroundings vanished and they were gone.  
  
* * *  
  
They now stood upon a great tower, the wind blew violently against their backs. A woman stood before them back was turned towards them, she had short blonde hair that was spiked, and a long flowed cloak about her.  
  
"This is the final stretch of your quest." 


	21. Chapter Twenty: Impending War

CHAPTER TWENTY Impending War  
  
"Who are you?" Derek asked. She turned around; she had two small triangles tattooed on her golden cheeks, one on either side of her mouth, then another underneath that one.  
  
"I am the Wind Elemental." She spoke softly.  
  
Jacob took a couple of steps forward, about to speak, but was silenced by the wave of the Elemental's hand.  
  
"Do not speak, only listen." She looked to each one; her silver eyes met Jacob's, Derek's, then Sarah's.  
  
"Your quest is almost over, but far from complete. Due to your actions, a war is brewing in Hyrule. Ten years after the Imprisoning War, Ganondorf raises an army and raids the Castle of Hyrule, and releases Naraku, our sister. It is your obligation to stop it." She looked to Jacob, "Come forth, Jacob Swanson." Jacob stepped forward. "With this shard, the Master Sword, blessed by our mothers, the ancient Goddesses, will be complete." Jacob unsheathed the Master Sword and watched as the final shard appeared, creating the tip of the blade. The blade then grew in brightness as its power was restored.  
  
"Be warned, the blade of evil's bane it may be, but it is also the key to evil."  
  
Jacob nodded, sheathed the restored Master Sword and stepped back to join his companions. The Wind Elemental walked up to Sarah, "For your quest, I will grant each of you a gift." From nowhere, she produced a quiver of arrows. Each arrow had golden feathers on the shaft. "For you, Sarah, the mystical Light Arrows, able to shine the holy light on the darkest evil." Sarah nodded. The Wind Elemental stepped to Derek, "For you, the fire of our mother, Din. Call upon her strength in times of dire need." She then looked to Jacob, "And you..." she stepped over to him. "You already possess that which I can offer, but you may call upon me and my sisters to aid you in battle." The Wind Elemental stepped back.  
  
"At this point, you three are ready for your final challenge." She waved her hand and an image formed behind her; it wavered as if it were a reflection in water. It was an image of a small Hylian army marching with civilians behind it.  
  
"They are going to Castle Hyrule to escape the Gerudo. You are to go and aid them." As she finished her sentence, within the image, a troop of lizard-men attacked from a cliff wall above them, the civilians retreated with a few of the militia troops, the rest stayed and fought.  
  
The Wind Elemental turned around and saw this. Her face grew long, "Oh no, it has begun sooner than I had expected." She waved a hand, and with that motion, the three teens vanished in blue light. The Wind Elemental's voice echoed in each of their minds: "Protect Hyrule!"  
  
* * *  
  
Arrows flew through the air. An arrow soared right passed Sarah's head as she appeared. She instantly drew an arrow, and returned fire. She dove behind a rock and fired again, the arrow impaled into a lizard-man.  
  
Derek appeared swinging, and as he materialized, his axe was imbedded into the chest of the lizard-man.  
  
Jacob appeared next to the Hylian Kin, the Master Sword in hand. The Shining blade cut through several enemies before he turned to the king.  
  
"I've been expecting you, Hero. You are our only hope in this dark time."  
  
As the battle raged on, more troops were falling, as were the lizard-men. Jacob suddenly became aware of a young man in only a green tunic on horseback. He wielded a long sword and was brandishing it expertly, beheading and dismembering enemies as he rode past.  
  
Suddenly, one of the lizard-men bounded from the ground and knocked the young man off, taking the horse for himself. Jacob took this opportunity and as the horse galloped past, he took hold of the saddle with on hand and with the other hand, tucked the Master Sword in his belt. He climbed up behind the creature and with a powerful shove, pushed the creature off the horse. But in a last ditch effort the creature caught hold of Jacob and pulled him down too. As Jacob fell, his hand caught in the reins of the horse and he was stuck, dragging along the ground. Jacob panicked when he saw the horse was galloping madly towards a cliff. Then, Jacob was falling, he watched in horror and dread anticipation as the ground rushed up to meet him.  
  
* * *  
  
The battle had ended; the Hylian soldiers were cleaning up the surviving lizard-men.  
  
"Jacob!" Sarah cried, she looked around, then reluctantly journeyed to the cliff edge, and when she leaned over to look, she saw the broken body of a horse, and laying next to it, Jacob's lifeless body, contorted in an unnatural position. She began to scream and sob. Derek ran over and pulled her up from climbing down, she flopped on the ground in a fetal position and screamed. Derek looked down, and then turned away to the King.  
  
One of the King's lieutenants walked up to them. The King turned to him, "get the wounded onto horses," he took a deep breath, "leave the dead." At these words, Derek looked to him and stared at him with murderous eyes. "I'm sorry," the King said, avoiding eye contact with the youth. The King then walked away.  
  
Derek turned and lifted Sarah up, "C'mon, we've got to go." Sarah reached out to the cliff screaming, "Jacob! JACOB!!"  
  
* * *  
  
Sarah sat upon the outer wall of Castle Hyrule. She watched as the Hylian soldiers were reinforcing the wall. A single tear rolled down her cheek, she assumed she had ran out of tears to shed. The noonday sun burned down upon her. When she entered the castle, she noticed a peculiar pedestal, backed by a large black door, behind the King's throne in the main throne room. She reflected upon this for a moment then her thoughts returned to Jacob and his fall.  
  
* * *  
  
Derek helped with reinforcing the walls of the castle. He had shed his armour and axe earlier that day; all he wore was his leather tunic.  
  
He had noticed the King wandering around, inspecting the work. Derek stopped working for a moment and looked up the wall at Sarah. When she looked at him, he gave her a reassuring smile, one that she did not return, she only turned away and looked to the horizon.  
  
Sarah sighed and Jacob floated back to her mind. " I can't believe he's dead. He was supposed to protect this land." She began to wonder if he was even the "Hero" everyone thought him to be. 


End file.
